Star Wars is considered to be the first sci-fi blockbuster and has become one of the most successful franchises of all time. Many of the movies are available on various streaming sites and rental services, but the full saga is also sold at just about every major retailer. There are dozens of movies and TV shows to watch in the Star Wars universe, but don't be overwhelmed if you're just getting started — there's plenty of time until Episode IX comes out in December 2019, after all!
EditSteps
EditExperiencing the Star Wars Movies
- Watch the series in the order that the movies were originally released. People new to the Star Wars series should watch the original trilogy first, then the prequel trilogy, and then Episode VII and Episode VIII. The movies were released out of order, but to experience the series as most fans did for the first time, it's recommended to watch them according to release date.[1] You shouldn't get confused by following this order, as each trilogy has its own self-contained stories, although they certainly intertwine in some places. The release date order for the Star Wars movies is as follows.
- 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)
- Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
- Experience the saga again in chronological order. Watching the Star Wars series in chronological order is recommended for people who have seen it before, as it ties the movies together coherently and builds the story towards its conclusion — even George Lucas recommends it.[2] The chronological order of the Star Wars movies is easy to follow as each movie has an episode number associated with it, and you just need to watch them from Episode I to Episode VIII.
- 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 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)
- Sprinkle in spin-off movies such as The Clone Wars, Solo, and Rogue One. The spin-off movies add extra story and expand parts of the universe only hinted at in the main series. The Clone Wars is an animated movie, while Solo and Rogue One are more recent live-action movies.[3]
- Watch The Clone Wars in between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith to learn more about the story and the characters of the interplanetary war introduced in Episode II.
- Watch Solo after Episode IV: A New Hope to learn more about how Han Solo came to be the charming smuggler in charge of the Millenium Falcon.[4]
- Watch "Rogue One" in between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope to experience the high-stakes mission that led to the Death Star's eventual destruction. It seamlessly transitions into Episode IV, making back-to-back viewings that much more immersive.[5]
- Avoid the Holiday Special, and watch the Ewok movies with kids. The Star Wars Holiday Special is considered by Star Wars creator George Lucas to be a failure — he forbade the film from being re-run after its initial airing and tried to prevent it from being released for home video. Ewok Adventure and Ewok: The Battle for Endor have been removed from the Star Wars storyline by Disney, but they can be fun for young children as they feature cute furry Ewoks defending their forest village.
- It is nearly impossible to find the Star Wars Christmas Special on VHS or DVD, but the whole movie is available on YouTube and other streaming sites. While generally considered to be terrible, the Holiday Special is unintentionally hilarious and fun to watch with your friends late at night.
- Ewok Adventure and Ewok: The Battle for Endor are more easily found, but because they do not have anything to do with the official Star Wars storyline, they are not essential to watch. If you decide to give these movies a go, watch them after Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, as this movie establishes their homeworld of Endor.
EditWatching the Star Wars TV Shows
- Watch the TV shows associated with the original trilogy first. There are three shows that take place during or just before the original trilogy of Star Wars movies, two of which came out in the 80s.[6]
- Watch Droids (1985) and Ewoks (1985) after Episode VI: The Last Jedi as they feature characters introduced in the last film of the original trilogy. These TV shows are animated and are best to watch with young kids.
- Watch Rebels (2014) after "Episode IV: A New Hope" to learn more about the conflict between the Rebellion and the Empire and see what happened to some of the characters from the prequel trilogy.
- Continue to watch the TV shows that take place during the Clone Wars. There are two TV shows that take place during the prequel trilogy, Clone Wars and The Clone Wars. They are often confused because of the name, but have very different animation styles and plot focuses.[7]
- Clone Wars (2003) is a 2D animated series that follows both jedi and the clone armies in their battle against the confederacy, and is known for introducing General Grievous, a four-armed cyborg, and Asajj Ventress, who serves as the main antagonist during the series. Watch this after Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
- The Clone Wars (2008) is a 3D rendered series that closely follows Anakin Skywalker and his padawan Ahsoka Tani, as well as other jedi and clones. Watch this after the original Clone Wars TV show and after Episode II: Attack of the Clones and the Clone Wars animated movie, which serves as an introduction to the show.
- Watch the miniseries Forces of Destiny on YouTube. Forces of Destiny takes place in different parts of the saga, spanning Episode I to Episode XIII.[8] The series is only available on the Disney YouTube channel, and each episode is about 2 to 3 minutes long. The series is known for its focus on female characters who were in the Star Wars movies.
- There isn't a specific order you should watch this series in, but it is recommended to have some decent knowledge of the Star Wars universe before exploring this series of shorts.
EditTips
- In addition to movies and TV shows, the Star Wars universe is represented in dozens of comic books, novels, and video games, some of which are regarded as the best games of all time. If you want to learn more about the Star Wars universe, feel free to explore these comics, books, and games on your own, but be aware that many of these supplemental stories are not considered canon by Disney.
EditReferences
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