Welcome to TechRadar’s information on watch the Star Wars films so as. With Star Wars Day 2025 nearly upon us (on the time of writing), we suspect you are gearing up on your annual film marathon in Lucasfilm’s legendary galaxy far, far-off. There’s no higher time, then, to get the lowdown on the numerous methods which you could stream them on Disney Plus.
“Hang on, there’s a couple of?” we hear you ask. Yes, pricey reader – from order of chronology and by their launch dates, to the extra obscure/diehard fan strategies, there are a number of methods to observe the Star Wars movies so as. We’ll run you thru them and a lot extra, together with how Disney’s Star Wars TV collection match on the sci-fi franchise’s ever-expanding timeline and the entire upcoming tasks you must learn about. So, crank that hyperdrive and let’s take a galactic journey to discover ways to stream the Star Wars films in any order you want.
What’s the most effective order to observe the Star Wars films in for the primary time?
While there is a sturdy argument for watching the unique movies adopted by the prequels to protect any huge reveals – particularly for anybody who grew up on the unique films – we predict that watching the Star Wars films in chronological order is the most effective for first-time viewers.
For one, it does not take as lengthy to observe as the final word order (extra on this in a while), which requires an infinite time dedication that’ll be somewhat an excessive amount of for informal viewers. Additionally, 11 films is sufficient for a strong Star Wars marathon, and the 2 spin-offs from the Skywalker Saga – Rogue One and Solo – add texture to the universe that you simply will not essentially get from the opposite 9 alone.
If you have obtained the time, including the TV reveals into the equation offers a good deeper dive into the mythology of the George Lucas-created fictional universe. But, for anybody who’s simply dipping their toes into Star Wars for the very first time, chronological order is unquestionably the best way to go from a much less complicated storytelling perspective.
How to observe Star Wars films so as: chronological
Best for: first-time viewers or these in search of a brand new strategy to watch the movies.
A very long time in the past, it was simple to know watch the Star Wars films so as – till 1999, the entire films (which started in 1977 with Episode IV: A New Hope) match onto the timeline within the sequence they landed in theaters. Then the prequel movie trilogy, which charts Anakin Skywalker’s rise to prominence and – spoiler – heel flip to develop into the long-lasting Sith Lord referred to as Darth Vader, modified all the things.
Since these early 2000s big-screen entries, issues have develop into a bit extra difficult, however don’t fret, the Star Wars timeline from a chronological standpoint – i.e. how the flicks are ordered primarily based on the yr they’re set in – is not as complicated or convoluted because the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) one has develop into. Indeed, it helps that the 9 Jedi-starring films launched up so far are handily labeled by their episodic numbers, which makes this timeline far simpler to observe, particularly for newcomers. Okay, there are a few spin-off films that must be included however, contemplating they’re set between the prequel movie trilogy and authentic film trilogy, they slot into the chronological order record seamlessly.
Here, then, is a quick rundown on watch the Star Wars films so as of chronology on Disney Plus, aka one of many world’s greatest streaming companies.
Prequel film trilogy
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – set 32 years earlier than A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones – takes place 22 years earlier than A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – happens 19 years earlier than A New Hope
Spin-off films
Original film trilogy
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope – thought-about to be level zero on the Star Wars timeline, owing to the truth that it was the primary movie to be launched in theaters
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back – set three years after A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi – takes place 4 years after A New Hope
Sequel film trilogy
How to observe Star Wars films so as: launch date
Best for: established followers or anybody seeking to watch them as supposed.
Interested in watching the Star Wars films in launch date order as a substitute? Here’s how to take action.
Before you press on, although, a phrase of warning: this technique is not essentially the easiest way to observe the Skywalker saga, aka the 9 fundamental movies, and Star Wars’ two movie-based spin-offs. Yes, these of you who have not watched the primary three movies are in for some huge surprises ( those we imply, Luke…), particularly if you do not know what occurs within the prequels. From a timeline perspective, although, newcomers would possibly discover this technique tougher to observe from a story viewpoint. Unless you are useless set on streaming them as George Lucas (and, later, Disney) supposed, we recommend newcomers persist with watching the Star Wars films in chronological order.
Anyway, this is watch the Star Wars films by their launch dates, for these :
- 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)
How to observe the Star Wars films in machete order
Best for: those that despise The Phantom Menace.
A well known viewing sequence for Star Wars films created by Rod Hilton in 2011, the so-called machete order is a approach of watching with out factoring The Phantom Menace into proceedings. Although George Lucas’ prequels are appeared upon extra kindly by followers lately, the prevailing idea was that eradicating Episode I from the equation was a major enchancment on the general story.
So, how does the machete *ahem* lower (or ought to that be lightsaber slice?) work? Essentially, it adjustments how the saga is informed to focus fully on Luke Skywalker’s character arc, with the concept being that it preserves The Empire Strikes Back‘s huge Darth Vader-shaped twist. Without additional ado, then, listed here are the 5 important flicks (you may stream the sequel trilogy afterwards, too, for those who want) that make up the Star Wars films in machete order information:
- Episode IV: A New Hope
- Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- Episode II: Attack of the Clones
- Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
How to observe the Star Wars films within the final order
Best for: followers who need the complete Star Wars expertise.
Another staple of our Star Wars films so as information is the final word order. Basically, this technique means you may have to stream all 11 movies thus far, plus each single TV present that is ever been made. That consists of the entire live-action Disney Plus TV collection, animated choices which have aired on Disney’s major streamer and elsewhere, and a bunch of one-off specials (we’re you, Star Wars Christmas particular…).
All of that mentioned, the movies, reveals, and specials which can be named under means this record is not an exhaustive one, nevertheless it’ll actually maintain you busy. We’ll be including to the Star Wars films in final order quickly, too, with the likes of latest TV reveals in Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld releasing on Star Wars Day 2025, Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 and Maul: Shadow Lord, plusThe Mandalorian and Grogu movie, which would be the first Star Wars film to fly into theaters since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker when it is launched on May 22, 2026.
- Star Wars: The Acolyte (TV present, 1 season) – set in the course of the High Republic period, roughly 100 years earlier than the occasions of The Phantom Menace
- Tales of the Jedi (TV present) – the primary of this anthology collection’ standalone tales takes place just a few years earlier than The Phantom Menace. The final is about just a few years after Revenge of the Sith, nevertheless it’s nonetheless greatest watched earlier than The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (film) – set 32 years earlier than A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (film) – takes place 22 years earlier than A New Hope
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film) – represents the beginning of the animated collection, which is about after Attack of the Clones. It’s primarily the primary three episodes from the TV present talked about under, albeit spliced collectively to create a feature-length movie
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV present; 7 seasons) – begins 22 years earlier than A New Hope and ends 19 years earlier than
- Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (TV present; 1 season) – anthology collection spanning the timeline between The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (film) – set 19 years earlier than A New Hope
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch (TV present; 3 seasons) – begins instantly after Revenge of the Sith and ends someday in the course of the occasions of Episode IV and Episode VI
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (film) – happens round a decade earlier than A New Hope
- Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV present) – set in the same time interval to Solo: A Star Wars Story
- Star Wars: Rebels (TV present; 4 seasons) – begins round 5 years earlier than A New Hope, with an epilogue set within the aftermath of Return of the Jedi
- Andor (TV present; 1 season to date) – takes place across the time of Star Wars: Rebels within the lead as much as A New Hope. Andor season 2 started streaming in late April and this is how Andor season 2 overview
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (film) – ends moments earlier than A New Hope begins
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (film) – floor zero for the Star Wars franchise
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (film) – set three years after A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (film) – happens 4 years after A New Hope
- The Mandalorian (TV present; 3 seasons to date) – occurs round 9 years after A New Hope. It’s presently unclear if The Mandalorian season 4 will get made
- Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (TV present; 1 season to date) – set across the similar time as The Mandalorian, and you may learn our full Star Wars: Skeleton Crew overview.
- The Book of Boba Fett (TV present; 1 season) – set instantly after The Mandalorian season 2
- Star Wars: Ahsoka (TV present; 1 season to date) – runs parallel to occasions depicted in The Mandalorian season 3. Read our Star Wars: Ahsoka overview for extra.
- Star Wars: Resistance (TV present; 2 seasons) – set round 34 years after A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (film) – occurs 34 years after A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (film) – takes place 34 years after A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (film) – happens 35 years after A New Hope
It’s value noting that there are just a few Star Wars tasks that do not match neatly onto the final word order timeline. For starters, the Star Wars Holiday Special, which aired in 1978 and has largely been disowned by everybody concerned in its improvement, is technically set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. It’s so totally weird, although, that only a few individuals take into account it to be canon anymore. That mentioned, it did introduce Boba Fett to audiences, so possibly it deserves a spot on the above timeline.
Meanwhile, the 2 seasons of animated anthology present Star Wars: Visions aren’t a part of official canon. Each of the animation studios concerned was given artistic freedom to inform their very own story exterior the constraints of present continuity. As such, it is arduous to pinpoint when and the place this collection ought to sit on the final word order timeline.
Lastly, youthful followers can even get pleasure from Young Jedi Adventures, though – regardless of the looks of Yoda – the collection is not a part of official Star Wars canon. It too, then, is not a part of the aforementioned record.
New Star Wars films and TV reveals
Want the lowdown on the entire new Star Wars TV reveals and flicks (you may learn extra about them within the aforementioned article) that’ll be getting launched within the months and years to come back? Here’s a quick rundown on what to look out for:
- The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22, 2026) – a film that builds off of The Mandalorian seasons 1 to three, this flick will see the titular duo embark on a brand new galactic journey on the large display screen
- Ahsoka season 2 (TBC, in manufacturing) – the sequel to certainly one of 2023’s new Star Wars TV reveals, little is understood about its plot and returning forged at this level
- The Jedi Origins film (TBC) – developed by Jason Mangold, this forthcoming movie will discover the origins of the Force and those that wield it on the Light Side of the divide
- Lando (TBC) – initially a TV collection, certainly one of Lucasfilm’s in-development films ought to see Donald Glover reprise his function because the lovable rogue from Solo: A Star Wars Story
- The Mandalorian/Ahsoka team-up film (TBC) – billed as an epic crossover of, and conclusion to, Disney’s post-Return of the Jedi TV reveals. Understandably, little or no is understood about it proper now
- New Jedi order film (TBC) – Starring Daisy Ridley’s Rey and directed by Ms Marvel’s Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, this film (which is likely to be Star Wars Episode X in all however title) will probably see the sequel film trilogy’s lead arrange a brand new Jedi Academy
- Untitled Taiki Waititi-directed Star Wars film (TBC) – the Thor: Love and Thunder filmmaker is growing his personal flick set in that well-known galaxy far, far-off, however no particulars have been revealed about it but
- Rogue Squadron (TBC) – lengthy considered useless, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins revealed in 2024 that her big-screen adaptation of this videogame collection was again in early improvement
- Star Wars: Starfighter (May, 28 2027) – little is understood to date, apart from it is being slowly developed by Deadpool & Wolverine director, Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling is becoming a member of the Star Wars universe
Where to stream each Star Wars film
Considering Lucasfilm is now owned by Disney, it will come as no shock to be taught that each Star Wars film and TV collection is out there to stream on Disney Plus. On the TV entrance, that features the Disney Plus-developed live-action reveals, in addition to various animated choices – a few of that are canon within the Star Wars universe, and a few that are not.
For a rundown of what is out there on the streaming large, head to Disney Plus’ Star Wars assortment web page. If you do not personal a subscription but, you will not be capable of view that web page. However, for those who’re excited by signing as much as the platform, take a look at our Disney Plus value information to see which subscription is the most effective one for you.
Every Star Wars film ranked, from worst to greatest
Armed with the entire info above, it will be simpler than ever so that you can watch the Star Wars films within the order of your selecting. What you will not know, although, is the order through which each Star Wars movie is seen by the franchise’s millions-strong fanbase.
With that in thoughts, we have headed over to overview aggregation web site Rotten Tomatoes to get the definitive information on the most effective and worst Star Wars movies, that are listed by their crucial scores, somewhat than their viewers ones (which we have additionally included on your comfort). Of course, that is all subjective as Rotten Tomatoes’ userbase is rather a lot smaller than Star Wars’ world group, nevertheless it’ll provide you with a good suggestion about which flicks are thought-about to be of a Jedi Master degree and people which can be as inexperienced as a Padawan.
For extra Disney-based protection, learn our guides on the most effective Disney Plus reveals and greatest Disney Plus films. Alternatively, learn the way to observe the Marvel films so as, or study each movie and TV collection that’ll be a part of Marvel Phase 6.
