Star Wars Movies in Order

Why this order?

Star Wars is famously easy to watch out of order, because George Lucas released it out of order. The original trilogy came first (1977-1983), then the prequels (1999-2005), then the sequels and two standalone "A Star Wars Story" films (2015-2019). That means release order and timeline order are completely different, and which one is "right" depends on what you want from the experience. Release order is the default here, and it's the one we recommend for first-timers. You meet Luke, Han, and Leia before you ever meet baby Anakin, which means the big twist in The Empire Strikes Back actually lands as a twist. The effects also "improve" as you go, which most people find easier than the reverse. Episode order (chronological) plays the saga as the in-universe story unfolds: the prequels first, then the standalone Solo and Rogue One, which slot in just before the original trilogy, then the sequels. It's tidy and great for rewatchers, but it spoils Darth Vader's identity in the very first film you watch. The Machete order is the clever compromise invented by blogger Rod Hilton. You watch IV, V, then jump back to II and III as a flashback, then return for VI. It deliberately skips Episode I (The Phantom Menace), arguing the plot survives fine without it, and preserves the Vader twist while still giving Anakin's tragedy its full weight. The standalone side films Rogue One and Solo are also intentionally left out of Machete; the sequel trilogy is optional on the end, and any of the skipped films can be added afterward. One footnote: a 2008 animated theatrical film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, exists and launched the TV series, but it's not part of the main live-action lineup, so we've left it off the lists below. If you like big space sagas, see also Star Trek and Dune.