how to watch the star wars movies in order

You can watch the Star Wars movies in three main ways: by release order, by in‑universe chronological order, or by a popular “story-first” fan order like Machete order. Below is a friendly guide so you can pick the style that fits your first (or next) trip to a galaxy far, far away.

Release order (classic way)

This keeps all the plot twists and cultural “moments” in the same order audiences originally experienced them.

Core live‑action movies in release order:

1. Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

2. Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

3. Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

4. Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

5. Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)

6. Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

7. Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)

8. Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)

9. Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Where the spin‑off movies fit (by release):

• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) – released between Episodes VII and VIII.

• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) – released between Episodes VIII and IX.

This is usually the safest order for a total newcomer who wants the “original theater” experience with no re‑contextualizing twists.

Chronological order (story timeline)

Chronological order follows events inside the Star Wars universe, from the fall of the Republic through the rise and fall of the Empire to the sequel era.

Chronological order for the movies (including spinoffs):

1. Episode I – The Phantom Menace

2. Episode II – Attack of the Clones

3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 animated movie, optional but canon)

4. Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

5. Solo: A Star Wars Story

6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

7. Episode IV – A New Hope

8. Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

9. Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

10. Episode VII – The Force Awakens

11. Episode VIII – The Last Jedi

12. Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker

If you also want shows, official guides now list series like The Acolyte , The Clone Wars , Rebels , The Mandalorian , Andor , and more in a full chronological list, but that’s far more than most first‑time viewers need.

Fan “story orders” (like Machete)

Fandom discussions and forum threads regularly debate the “best” watch order, especially on platforms like Reddit, and several creative story‑focused orders have become popular.

Machete‑style idea (one common variant)

This kind of order tries to preserve original twists while letting the prequels act as an extended flashback.

A typical pattern looks like:

1. Episode IV – A New Hope

2. Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

3. Episode II – Attack of the Clones

4. Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

5. Rogue One (often slotted before VI as a direct lead‑in)

6. Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

7. Episode VII – The Force Awakens

8. Episode VIII – The Last Jedi

9. Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker

Some fans skip Episode I in this style to tighten the Anakin‑focused flashback, while others put it back for completeness.

Which order should you pick?

Here’s a quick side‑by‑side to help you decide:

[9][3] [3]

[5][3] [5][3] [8][3] [8][3]

Order type	What you watch	Best for
Release order	Episodes IV–VI, then I–III, then VII–IX, with spin‑offs where they were released.	First‑timers who want the classic experience and original twists exactly as audiences saw them.
Chronological	I, II, *Clone Wars* (optional), III, *Solo*, *Rogue One*, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX.	Viewers who care most about the in‑universe timeline and seeing Anakin’s arc unfold “in order.”
Machete‑style	IV, V, then a prequel flashback (often II & III plus maybe I, *Rogue One*), then VI and the sequels.	People who enjoy a curated story flow and don’t mind fan‑crafted watch lists.

For a very first watch, release order is usually the most recommended in fan discussions, with chronological order a close second for those already spoiled on the big reveals.

Quick “how to watch” recap

• If this is your first time and you want the iconic experience:
  → Watch in release order , adding Rogue One before Episode IV and Solo before or after it if you want bonus context.

• If you already know the twists and want the saga as one long story :
  → Use the chronological order list above.

• If you like fan‑crafted storytelling and a flashback structure:
  → Try a Machete‑style order like IV, V, II, III, Rogue One , VI, then VII–IX.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.