How To Watch Star Wars in Order: Release & Chronological Order

If you’ve never seen it before, you might wonder why you’ll need a guide in order to watch Star Wars. It’s just Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker and lightsabers and all that, right? There are 9 big movies (called the Skywalker Saga), that are neatly split into 3 separate arcs. If you want to, you can only watch these 9 movies and be fine. However, you won’t experience the full reason why Star Wars is still such an icon. Because beyond the big films, there are 4 standalone films, 19 TV series and 3 movie specials. Don’t forget all the innumerable canonical comics, novels and video games! 

Star Wars is a modern Epic like the tales of the long past, but it’s all spread across half a decade of different movies and shows. But, don’t worry. We’ve put together a guide for newcomers ready to jump into this wonderful saga. And if you’re already a fan, we’ve also put together a timeline accurate list of movies for your next watch-through. 

Star Wars Movies in Order of Release

A quick look online will show you that watching by release date is the best Star Wars movie order. At first, this might be confusing. Why are Star Wars movies 4, 5 & 6 watched before 1, 2 & 3? The fourth, fifth & sixth movies are what's called the original trilogy. They were made long before any other Star Wars media. The first, second & third films are called the prequel trilogy. They are numbered like that because they are chronologically older despite being filmed a decade after the original. 

For a first-time viewer, it’s important to watch the Star Wars movies in release order because the films are self-referential. They often assume that the viewer already watched movies that were released earlier. This isn’t just for fun call-backs. Because they write newer movies with this in mind, you’ll lose out on a ton of information crucial to its atmosphere and plot points that depend on pre-existing knowledge of previously released movies. This is especially true for the prequel trilogy. 

So, here is a Star Wars watch order of the biggest films and shows sorted by release date, collected and ready for your next watch party. (Do not fear, it’s all spoiler free!)

• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
• Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
• Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
• Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
• The Mandalorian (2019)
• Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
• Andor (2022)
• Ahsoka (2023)
• Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

(TV series are underlined.)

Star Wars Chronological Order

If you’ve already watched it all in release order, then watching the Star Wars movies in chronological order can be a fun experience. It’s a must-do for every Star Wars fan! Below is a timeline of big Star Wars movies and series with a brief description. (Not spoiler free!!!)

• Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) - A Jedi master and his apprentice are sent to guard the young Queen of planet Naboo. There, amongst the shadowy plots of the Sith, they meet a young slave boy who will grow up to be the deathly Darth Vader.
• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) - Ten years after The Phantom Menace, the Republic is threatened by a separatist movement. A Jedi apprentice is sent to guard the young queen senator. Between them, and amidst the start of the Clone Wars, a secret romance is born.
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - The Clone Wars continues to boil hotter as the Jedi-led clones face off against the Separatist battle droid armies. The future Darth Vader explores a world of political corruption, interspace battles, and personal struggles as he apprentices the new hero, Ahsoka.
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) - Anakin Skywalker is beginning to be troubled by some things. Between his secret marriage and growing grievances with the Jedi order, a dark force is brewing within. Watch the decimation of the Jedi Order, the birth of Darth Vader and his Galactic Empire. 
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) - Ten years before Luke Skywalker takes stage, the young Han Solo wanders through his life in the criminal underworld. 
• Andor (2022) - The Rebel Alliance didn’t appear from nowhere. This political thriller guides you through the five years leading up to Rogue One. Bureaucratic oppression, sacrifices, politics… Watch the future rebel, Cassian Andor, get radicalised into action.
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) - A week before Episode IV, the daughter of the Death Star’s unwilling creator allies herself with the Rebel Alliance. Desperate and unauthorised, she works alongside Cassian Andor to steal its schematics.
• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) - A farm boy living with his aunt and uncle is sought by a mysterious Jedi Master. With a rag-tag team, they rescue Princess Leia from the Empire’s grasp. Together, they spell destruction for the Empire’s moon-sized super weapon. 
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - After the failed defence of the ice planet, Hoth, the heroic group is separated. Luke begins his Jedi training, but it’s not enough. At the end of the movie, he loses a duel against Darth Vader before learning of a shocking family secret.
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) - The rebels fight against the second Death Star. And as the trilogy comes to an end, Luke learns more of his family, redeems his father, and saves the galaxy. 
• The Mandalorian (2019) - In the ruins of the Galactic Empire, a lawless age emerges with Imperial warlords and factions at the head of it. A lone bounty hunter, hired to capture a mysterious child, decides to protect it instead.
• Ahsoka (2023) - Ahsoka, Anakin Skywalker’s former apprentice, travels through the vulnerable post-Empire world. Teaming up with figures from her past, she investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy’s new peace. 
• Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) - The Mandalorian and his child apprentice are enlisted by the New Republic to hunt down the remaining Imperial warlords. 
• Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) - A new tyrannical military group emerges. A dissenter Stormtrooper, a scrapper called Rey and an aged Han Solo travel through the galaxy, searching for the missing Luke Skywalker. Along the way, they face off against a new Sith: Kylo Ren.
• Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017) - Rey begs Luke to train her and join the resistance, but he is tired and unwilling. Meanwhile, a spiritual connection between her and Kylo Ren begins to bloom. 
• Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - Emperor Palpatine is resurrected and all seems lost. But after Rey confronts her dark family lineage and Kylo Ren reconsiders his past, a balance to the universe is restored once again.

(TV series are underlined.)

But, you know… Whether you are doing a Star Wars release order marathon or rewatching it in a chronological order. Watching Star Wars doesn’t feel complete without a goofy Stormtrooper shirt or a seriously good lightsaber replica. Fly your spaceship to our merch section for a massively good range of Star Wars merch and cosplay materials!