Stepping into the vast, amazing galaxy of Star Wars can feel a bit like trying to find your way through a busy spaceport for the first time. There are so many stories, so many characters, and so many exciting adventures waiting. Whether you have just started to hear about this grand saga, or you are a long-time admirer looking to catch up on the newest tales, getting your viewing sequence sorted out can seem a little tricky, you know?
With fresh stories always appearing, like "The Acolyte" coming in June 2024 on Disney+, and even more from "The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka," and "Boba Fett" expected, the universe keeps growing. Andor season two, for instance, was supposed to show up this August but has been pushed back past 2024, with a new date not yet clear. This constant flow of new content means that figuring out where to begin, or how to fit everything in, is a common question for many watchers, you know?
Luckily, finding your way through these stories is easier than you might think, especially since pretty much everything is available in one spot. We are here to help you sort through the various ways to experience the entire Star Wars story, from the earliest events to the latest happenings. You can pick the path that feels right for you, whether you prefer to see things as they first came out, or follow the story from its very beginnings, it's almost like picking your own path to becoming a true fan.
Table of Contents
- How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Where to Begin?
- How to Watch Star Wars in Order by Release Date
- How to Watch Star Wars in Order by Story Timeline
- How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Are There Other Ways?
- How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Which is Best for You?
How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Where to Begin?
When you think about how to watch Star Wars in order, it might seem a little big because there is so much content available. The way you watch these stories can really change how you feel about them. For someone who has never seen Star Wars before, starting with the original release sequence is often a good idea. This is how many people first saw the stories unfold, and it keeps some surprises intact, too. If you have already seen most or all of the movies, watching them in the story's actual timeline can be a fun way to revisit everything, sort of like seeing old friends in a new light, you know?
There are actually four main ways people often choose to watch the Star Wars movies. These include going by the release dates, following the story in order, trying something called the Ernst Rister order, and also the Machete order. Each one offers a slightly different way to see the galaxy. We are going to help you figure out the best approach for you, whether you are just starting out or you are a seasoned fan looking to revisit these incredible tales, so you can pick your own adventure, in a way.
How to Watch Star Wars in Order by Release Date
Watching the Star Wars movies and shows in the order they came out is, in some respects, the most straightforward way to begin, especially if you are new to the galaxy. This is how George Lucas first showed the stories to the world, and it lets you experience them just as audiences did over the decades. The Star Wars movie timeline stretches across many years, starting with the very first films in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This approach keeps certain big story reveals a secret until the time they were meant to be shown, which is pretty cool, really.
When you watch Star Wars in order of release, you start with the original trilogy. These are the films that introduced us to Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo. After that, you would move on to the prequel films, which tell the story of Anakin Skywalker before he became Darth Vader. Then, you would watch the sequel trilogy, which picks up the story many years later. Shows like "The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka," and "Andor" would fit in as they were released, too. This method gives you a sense of how the storytelling and special effects grew over time, which is quite interesting, you know?
For example, if you are looking to watch Star Wars in order by release, you would begin with "A New Hope," then "The Empire Strikes Back," and then "Return of the Jedi." After those, you would move to "The Phantom Menace," "Attack of the Clones," and "Revenge of the Sith." Then come "The Force Awakens," "The Last Jedi," and "The Rise of Skywalker." Standalone films like "Rogue One" and "Solo" would be watched after their respective main saga films, and TV shows like "The Clone Wars" and "Rebels" would be watched after the prequels, in their own release order, so you get the full picture as it was originally presented.
How to Watch Star Wars in Order by Story Timeline
For those who prefer to see the story unfold from its very first moments, watching Star Wars in order of its internal timeline is a great option. This approach allows you to witness the separate rises of characters like Anakin, Luke, and Rey as they happened within their story world. It offers a fresh look at the galaxy, even for those who have seen the films many times, kind of like getting a different view of a familiar place. This way, you can follow the history of the galaxy far, far away from its earliest recorded events to its later ones, so it's a complete picture.
This method involves putting all the movies and shows into their proper place on the timeline, which often uses terms like BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and ABY (After the Battle of Yavin) to mark time. The upcoming "Acolyte" series, for instance, takes place at a much earlier point in the timeline, during the High Republic era, which is before any of the movies we know. This means it would be one of the very first things you watch if you are following the story's history, which is pretty cool, I think.
We have a list of all the current Star Wars movies and shows you can watch right now in chronological order. It has never been easier to do this, especially since all of these stories are available on Disney+. This way of watching can feel like a fun experiment for long-time fans, giving them a new way to see the series. Without giving away too much, even old fans might find new connections and deeper meanings when they view things this way, you know, it's a different kind of experience.
How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Prequel Era
If you are watching Star Wars in order of the story, you would begin with tales that happen long before Luke Skywalker was even born. The earliest content includes "The Acolyte," which premieres in June 2024 and is set during the High Republic, a time of peace and Jedi power. After that, you would move into the stories that show the beginnings of the Galactic Empire and the fall of the Jedi. This includes the prequel movies, which introduce us to Anakin Skywalker as a young boy and follow his path to becoming Darth Vader, so it's a very important part of the story.
The sequence for this period would generally start with "The Phantom Menace," then "Attack of the Clones," and then the animated "Clone Wars" series, which fills in many gaps between the second and third prequel films. After that, you would watch "Revenge of the Sith," which shows the end of the Jedi Order and the rise of the Empire. This part of the timeline is full of action and shows how the galaxy changed from a republic to a more controlling government, you know, it sets the stage for everything else.
How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Original Era
Following the events of the prequel era, the story timeline moves into a time of rebellion against the Empire. This is where the original Star Wars movies fit in, showing the struggles of a small group of heroes fighting for freedom. Before the very first movie, there are stories like "Solo: A Star Wars Story," which tells us about a young Han Solo, and "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," which directly leads into "A New Hope." These films add a lot of background to the main story, really.
The core of this period is the original trilogy: "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi." These are the stories that captured the hearts of so many people around the world. Alongside these films, shows like "Rebels" and "Andor" (which has its second season delayed past 2024, by the way) fill in the gaps and show other parts of the fight against the Empire. After the original trilogy, stories like "The Mandalorian," "The Book of Boba Fett," and "Ahsoka" continue the adventures in the time after the Empire's fall, so there's a lot to see here.
How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Sequel Era
The latest part of the Star Wars story timeline focuses on a new generation of heroes and villains, set many years after the original trilogy. This era deals with the rise of the First Order and the Resistance's efforts to stop them. It introduces characters like Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron, who carry on the fight for good in the galaxy. These stories bring the saga into a new time, with new challenges and new hopes, you know, it feels a bit like a fresh start.
The main films in this part of the story are "The Force Awakens," "The Last Jedi," and "The Rise of Skywalker." These movies show the end of the Skywalker family's story in many ways, and they bring new ideas to the universe. While there are not as many TV shows set directly in this period yet, the story of the galaxy keeps moving forward. Watching these films in order helps you see how the themes of light and dark continue through different generations, which is pretty neat, I think.
How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Are There Other Ways?
Beyond simply watching Star Wars in order of release or story timeline, there are a couple of other interesting methods that fans have come up with. These alternative viewing orders are often suggested for those who have seen the movies before and want a different perspective, or for new viewers who are open to a more unique introduction. One of these is called the "Machete Order," and another is the "Ernst Rister Order." Each one tries to offer a particular kind of viewing experience, you know, a bit like a special tour.
The Machete Order, for instance, focuses on the story of Luke Skywalker and his family, keeping the prequels as a sort of flashback to explain Darth Vader's past. It usually skips "The Phantom Menace" because some feel it does not add much to Luke's story. So, you would watch "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back," then "Attack of the Clones," "Revenge of the Sith," and finally "Return of the Jedi." This approach is meant to keep the big reveal about Darth Vader a surprise for longer and then explain it right when it matters most, which is quite clever, really.
The Ernst Rister Order is another way to watch, which aims to tell the story with a particular dramatic flow. It mixes things up even more, trying to build suspense and surprise in different ways. These alternative orders are often more of a fun experiment for long-time fans who want to see the series from a new perspective, perhaps catching things they missed before. They show just how much thought and care fans put into these stories, which is pretty cool, you know?
How to Watch Star Wars in Order - Which is Best for You?
Deciding the best way to watch Star Wars in order truly depends on what you are looking for. If it is your very first time experiencing these stories, watching them in the order they were released is generally the most suggested path. This way, you get to see the saga unfold as audiences did, keeping all the surprises intact and appreciating how the special effects and storytelling grew over time. It is a good, solid start for anyone just stepping into this galaxy, so you can just enjoy the ride.
However, if you have seen most or all of the movies before, or if you are a completist who wants to start at the very beginning of the story, then watching everything in chronological order can be a wonderful experience. This method helps you see the connections between events and characters more clearly, from the High Republic era with "The Acolyte" all the way through to the sequels. It can give you a whole new look at the galaxy far, far away, even without spoiling anything for old fans, which is pretty neat.
With a total movie runtime of over 25 hours, plus all the fantastic TV shows like "Andor" and "The Mandalorian," there is a lot of Star Wars to enjoy. Whichever order you pick, knowing that Starwars.com is there to help guide you, and that pretty much everything is available on Disney+, makes getting started very easy. Soon enough, you will feel like a true expert on the galaxy, perhaps even a Jedi master of viewing orders, you know, it's all about the fun of it.
This guide has walked you through the different ways to watch the Star Wars movies and TV shows, from starting with the original release order, which is great for new viewers, to following the story's timeline, which offers a fresh view for long-time fans. We also touched on other interesting methods like the Machete and Ernst Rister orders. We looked at how new content, like "The Acolyte" and upcoming seasons of "Andor," "The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka," and "Boba Fett," fits into the big picture. The goal was to help you decide the best order for your own Star Wars adventure, making it simple to find all the stories on Disney+.
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