Star Wars is one of the best and most popular sci-fi franchises ever created with millions of fans all over the world. However, with eleven movies and numerous television shows all part of the series' canon, it can be difficult to figure out the best order to watch the Star Wars movies in. Unfortunately, there isn't really a simple answer in that regard.
When it comes to the best order to watch Star Wars, there are generally two very different lines of thought. Some think that it's better to watch the movies in the order in which they were released, while others believe that watching in chronological order provides a more coherent narrative. As those who read on will soon learn, both orders have their pros and cons.
Updated October 22, 2022, by Tom Bowen: While most will probably argue that the best order to watch the Star Wars movies in is either chronological or release date order, there is actually a third option for those seeking to save themselves from the many cons that each of the aforementioned orders brings with them. Machete order aims to provide viewers with the best of both galaxies while also skipping over some of the series' duller or more bizarre plot points. The release of Andor has also given potential viewers something else to think about, though its place in the Star Wars timeline is thankfully made quite clear throughout the course of the show.
Every Star Wars Movie in Order of Release Date
- 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: 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)
- Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Though it may seem like a good idea to watch the Star Wars movies in chronological order rather than in the order in which they were originally released, there are a few downsides to doing it this way. By far the biggest benefit of watching every Star Wars movie in release date order is that one of the series' biggest and most shocking reveals will remain unspoiled. However, that's not the only advantage to watching in release date order.
Many feel that the Star Wars prequel trilogy is significantly weaker than the original three movies and the Disney-era installments. As such, watching the original trilogy first can give viewers a reason to endure the franchise's first three episodes. Likewise, watching the movies in release date order will lead to a constant improvement in special effects, though the practical effects in the original movies are arguably far superior to the CGI in those which followed.
Every Star Wars Movie in Chronological Order
- 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)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- 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 VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Watching every Star Wars movie in chronological order will lead to a much more coherent story overall, though will result in one or two big spoilers here and there. Given that a lot of people already know about The Empire Strikes Back's big movie plot twist due to it constantly being referenced in pop culture though, this might not necessarily be such a big issue for some. As such, whether to watch in release or chronological order may well come down to whether or not potential viewers already know about Luke's parentage beforehand.
In terms of other downsides, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace is widely considered to be the worst of the 11 Star Wars movies, so starting there may not provide the best first impression of the series. However, the movie does still have its moments and viewers can rest assured that it's all uphill from there. Well, mostly, anyway. There's also an argument to be made that going into the movie with no expectations will make it a lot less disappointing than watching it after sitting through the original trilogy, though this may vary from viewer to viewer.
Machete Order
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Machete Order was created by blogger and self-confessed movie geek Rod Hilton in 2011 and seeks to address some of the many issues with watching the main Star Wars movies in either of the aforementioned orders. Most notably, it aims to preserve the big twist in The Empire Strikes Back while still introducing Anakin before the appearance of his force ghost at the end of the newer cuts of Return of the Jedi.
Interestingly, Machete order completely omits Episode 1, with Hilton arguing that it's largely irrelevant in the context of the overall saga. In fact, he even goes as far as to call it a distraction, pointing out that many of the characters introduced in the movie are killed off or forced into the background before the movie comes to an end. Episode 1 is also the only Star Wars movie to mention midichlorians, so skipping over it effectively serves to retcon this incredibly divisive concept.
Where Do the Disney+ Star Wars Series Fit into the Star Wars Timeline?
When it comes to release date order, knowing where the Disney+ Star Wars shows fit into the overall timeline is pretty easy, with The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Andor having debuted in 2019, 2021, and 2022 (both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor) respectively.
Chronologically, however, things are a little more complicated. Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place somewhere in between the prequel trilogy and Solo, while The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett slot in between episodes six and seven. Andor, on the other hand, takes place after Obi-Wan Kenobi but before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.