Complete Star Wars Movies Watch Order by Release Date
The theatrical Star Wars saga includes nine main episodes released between 1977 and 2019, with Episode IV: A New Hope premiering first and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker closing the main series. The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 and has since managed the franchise, including streaming exclusives on Disney+. The original trilogy spans 1977 to 1983, the prequel trilogy runs from 1999 to 2005, and the sequel trilogy covers 2015 to 2019. For many fans, chronological order begins with Episode I: The Phantom Menace and ends with Episode IX, while release order starts with the 1977 classic. The franchise has generated over $10 billion at the global box office across the main saga and spin-off films, according to industry estimates. Forbes maintains an updated list of Star Wars movies in release and chronological order.
Beyond the nine main episodes, the Star Wars movies watch order includes standalone films such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Rogue One is set immediately before Episode IV and serves as a direct prequel to the original 1977 film. Solo explores the early life of Han Solo and features the Millennium Falcon. Both films are integrated into the broader timeline and are available on Disney+. The animated series and feature-length films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the 2008 Clone Wars film expand the timeline further, but the core theatrical watch order focuses on the live-action saga and the two standalone features. Disney's quarterly filings reference the performance of its content slate, including Star Wars titles.
Chronological Star Wars Timeline and Viewing Sequence
Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Episode I introduces the Galactic Republic, young Anakin Skywalker, and the Trade Federation blockade of Naboo. It is the first film in chronological order and the fourth in release order. The film grossed over $1 billion worldwide and is available on Disney+ in multiple formats, including 4K resolution for subscribers. Forbes details where to watch The Phantom Menace and its remastered versions.
Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Episode II follows Anakin as a Jedi Padawan and depicts the start of the Clone Wars, while Episode III concludes the prequel arc with Anakin's fall to the dark side and the birth of the Galactic Empire. Both films complete the prequel trilogy and are placed between the original and sequel trilogies in the chronological timeline. Combined, the prequel trilogy earned over $3.9 billion at the global box office. Box Office Mojo tracks the Star Wars franchise box office totals by film.