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"Search your feelings, you know it to be true! This is how you should watch the Star Wars movies in order!" (Image credit: Lucasfilm)
Welcome to TechRadar's guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order. With Star Wars Day 2024 almost upon us (at the time of writing), we suspect you're gearing up for your annual movie marathon in Lucasfilm's legendary galaxy far, far away. There's no better time, then, to get the lowdown on the many ways that you can stream them on Disney Plus.
"Hang on, there's more than one?" we hear you ask. Yes, dear reader – from order of chronology and by their release dates, to the more obscure/diehard fan methods, there are multiple ways to watch the Star Wars films in order. We'll run you through them and so much more, including how Disney's Star Wars TV series fit on the sci-fi franchise's ever-expanding timeline and all of the upcoming projects you need to know about. So, crank that hyperdrive and let's take a galactic trip to learn how to stream the Star Wars movies in any order you like.
While there's a strong argument for watching the original films followed by the prequels to preserve any big reveals – especially for anyone who grew up on the original movies – we think that watching the Star Wars movies in chronological order is the best for first-time viewers.
For one, it doesn't take as long to watch as the ultimate order (more on this later on), which requires an enormous time commitment that'll be rather too much for casual viewers. Additionally, 11 movies is enough for a solid Star Wars marathon, and the two spin-offs from the Skywalker Saga – Rogue One and Solo – add texture to the universe that you won't necessarily get from the other nine alone.
If you've got the time, adding the TV shows into the equation provides an even deeper dive into the mythology of the George Lucas-created fictional universe. But, for anyone who's just dipping their toes into Star Wars for the very first time, chronological order is definitely the way to go from a less confusing storytelling perspective.
Best for: first-time viewers or those looking for a new way to watch the films.
A long time ago, it was easy to know how to watch the Star Wars movies in order – until 1999, all of the movies (which began in 1977 with Episode IV: A New Hope) fit onto the timeline in the sequence they landed in theaters. Then the prequel film trilogy, which charts Anakin Skywalker's rise to prominence and – spoiler – heel turn to become the iconic Sith Lord known as Darth Vader, changed everything.
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Since those early 2000s big-screen entries, things have become a bit more complicated, but don't worry, the Star Wars timeline from a chronological standpoint – i.e. how the movies are ordered based on the year they're set in – isn't as confusing or convoluted as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) one has become. Indeed, it helps that the nine Jedi-starring movies released up to this point are handily labeled by their episodic numbers, which makes this timeline far easier to follow, especially for newcomers. Okay, there are a couple of spin-off movies that need to be included but, considering they're set between the prequel film trilogy and original movie trilogy, they slot into the chronological order list seamlessly.
Here, then, is a brief rundown on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order of chronology on Disney Plus, aka one of the world's best streaming services.
Prequel movie trilogy
Spin-off movies
Original movie trilogy
Sequel movie trilogy
Best for: established fans or anyone looking to watch them as intended.
Interested in watching the Star Wars movies in release date order instead? Here's how to do so.
Before you press on, though, a word of warning: this method isn't necessarily the best way to follow the Skywalker saga, aka the nine main films, and Star Wars' two movie-based spin-offs. Yes, those of you who haven't watched the first three films are in for some big surprises (you know the ones we mean, Luke. ), especially if you don't know what happens in the prequels. From a timeline perspective, though, newcomers might find this method harder to follow from a narrative viewpoint. Unless you're dead set on streaming them as George Lucas (and, later, Disney) intended, we suggest newcomers stick to watching the Star Wars movies in chronological order.
Anyway, here's how to watch the Star Wars movies by their release dates, for those interested:
Best for: those who despise The Phantom Menace.
A well-known viewing sequence for Star Wars movies created by Rod Hilton in 2011, the so-called machete order is a way of watching without factoring The Phantom Menace into proceedings. Although George Lucas' prequels are looked upon more kindly by fans these days, the prevailing theory was that removing Episode I from the equation was a significant improvement on the overall story.
So, how does the machete *ahem* cut (or should that be lightsaber slice?) work? Essentially, it changes how the saga is told to focus entirely on Luke Skywalker's character arc, with the idea being that it preserves The Empire Strikes Back's big Darth Vader-shaped twist. Without further ado, then, here are the five essential flicks (you can stream the sequel trilogy afterwards, too, if you desire) that make up the Star Wars movies in machete order guide:
Best for: fans who want the full Star Wars experience.
Another staple of our Star Wars movies in order guide is the ultimate order. Basically, this method means you'll need to stream all 11 films to date, plus every single TV show that's ever been made. That includes all of the live-action Disney Plus TV series, animated offerings that have aired on Disney's primary streamer and elsewhere, and a bunch of one-off specials (we're looking at you, Star Wars Christmas special. ).
All of that said, the films, shows, and specials that are named below means this list isn't an exhaustive one, but it'll certainly keep you busy. We'll be adding to the Star Wars movies in ultimate order soon, too, with the likes of new TV shows in Star Wars: Tales From The Empire, Star Wars: The Acolyte, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, plus the recently announced The Mandalorian and Grogu film, which will be the first Star Wars movie to fly into theaters since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker when it's released sometime in 2026.
It's worth noting that there are a few Star Wars projects that don't fit neatly onto the ultimate order timeline. For starters, the Star Wars Holiday Special, which aired in 1978 and has largely been disowned by everyone involved in its development, is technically set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. It's so utterly bizarre, though, that very few people consider it to be canon anymore. That said, it did introduce Boba Fett to audiences, so maybe it deserves a spot on the above timeline.
Meanwhile, the two seasons of animated anthology show Star Wars: Visions aren't part of official canon. Each of the animation studios involved was given creative freedom to tell their own story outside the constraints of existing continuity. As such, it's hard to pinpoint when and where this series should sit on the ultimate order timeline.
Lastly, younger fans can also enjoy Young Jedi Adventures, although – despite the appearance of Yoda – the series isn't part of official Star Wars canon. It too, then, isn't part of the aforementioned list.
Want the lowdown on all of the new Star Wars TV shows and movies (you can read more about them in the aforementioned article) that'll be getting released in the months and years to come? Here's a brief rundown on what to look out for:
Considering Lucasfilm is now owned by Disney, it'll come as no surprise to learn that every Star Wars movie and TV series is available to stream on Disney Plus. On the TV front, that includes the Disney Plus-developed live-action shows, as well as a number of animated offerings – some of which are canon in the Star Wars universe, and some that aren't.
For a rundown of what's available on the streaming giant, head to Disney Plus' Star Wars collection page. If you don't own a subscription yet, you won't be able to view that page. However, if you're interested in signing up to the platform, check out our Disney Plus price guide to see which subscription is the best one for you.
Armed with all of the information above, it'll be easier than ever for you to watch the Star Wars movies in the order of your choosing. What you won't know, though, is the order in which every Star Wars film is viewed by the franchise's millions-strong fanbase.
With that in mind, we've headed over to review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes to get the definitive guide on the best and worst Star Wars films, which are listed by their critical scores, rather than their audience ones (which we've also included for your convenience). Of course, this is all subjective as Rotten Tomatoes' userbase is a lot smaller than Star Wars' global community, but it'll give you a good idea about which flicks are considered to be of a Jedi Master level and those that are as inexperienced as a Padawan.
For more Disney-based coverage, read our guides on the best Disney Plus shows and best Disney Plus movies. Alternatively, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order, or learn about every film and TV series that'll be part of Marvel Phase 5.
