A Disney+ subscription is your ticket to the entire Star Wars franchise. This consists of the unique trilogy, prequel films, and sequels, plus the standalone movies. Need much more from the galaxy far, distant? Strive unique sequence like The Mandalorian, Andor, and Clone Wars. Andor season 2 hit the video-streaming service on April 22, with new episodes via Could 13.
It is by no means been simpler to marathon stream the entire franchise, however earlier than you dive into the primary chapter, it is vital to determine your most popular viewing order. Do you begin with the unique trilogy or the prequel films? What concerning the standalone movies and the tv exhibits? Whichever order you select, this is tips on how to watch.
Theatrical Launch Order
The obvious reply is theatrical launch order, since this was what George Lucas initially meant. It begins with the unique trilogy, then takes us again to the prequel films, earlier than ending with Disney’s sequel movies. Following this order, you get Luke overcoming Darth Vader, Vader’s origin story, after which Rey selecting up the legacy Luke left behind. It will probably get a bit awkward when you add the standalone Star Wars movies, since Rogue One and Solo would interrupt the sequel trilogy.
In the event you’re doing a re-watch and are interested by preserving the storyline of the core films, simply skip these two movies. They don’t have any influence on the overarching narrative, anyway. First-timers who need the total expertise can actually watch them in launch order, or place the standalone movies earlier than or after the sequel trilogy. If you wish to go by launch order, your marathon ought to seem like this:
Chronological Order
George Lucas had at all times meant for the unique movie to be a small half in a bigger narrative. So simply because it was the primary to be launched does not imply it is the beginning of the story. As an alternative of going with launch order, you can too attempt chronological order, primarily based on when the flicks are speculated to happen. This may imply watching Episodes I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX in numerical order. In the event you’re including the standalone movies, Rogue One and Solo can match between Episodes III and IV, and it ought to work nice.
Nonetheless, since this order utterly ruins the Darth Vader reveal within the unique movies, it isn’t advisable that anybody ought to watch these films for the primary time on this order. Watching Star Wars in chronological order is extra of a enjoyable experiment for longtime followers to see the sequence from a brand new perspective. In the event you have been to look at the Star Wars movies in chronological order, it will seem like this:
Machete Order
In the event you’ve already skilled launch and chronological order, there’s one other choice to attempt: Machete Order. This order splits the distinction and has you watch Episodes II and III between Episodes V and VI. You begin with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Again, however then issues get wonky. Simply after Luke discovers the reality about Darth Vader, flip to the prequels as a flashback sequence. Watch Assault of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith to witness how Anakin Skywalker was consumed by the Darkish Facet, earlier than ending with Return of the Jedi.
The Machete Order cuts out Phantom Menace solely, since virtually the whole lot within the film is self-contained and has no impact on the opposite prequels. Qui-Gon Jinn performs no significance to the higher story. Midi-chlorians are barely talked about once more. You additionally mainly keep away from Jar Jar Binks solely. It is not excellent, although, so watch at your individual threat.
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In the event you’re not comfortable about eradicating Episode I and are additionally questioning the place the sequel films slot in right here, the unique creator of the Machete Order, Rod Hilton, suggests watching Episodes VII, VIII, and IX after the opposite films. You may then deal with Episode I as an anthology, like Rogue One and Solo. So when you go by the Machete Order, you’d watch the flicks as follows:
Disney’s Narrative Timeline
However what concerning the tv exhibits? Star Wars has develop into extra than simply films, with The Clone Wars, Rebels, Andor, and The Mandalorian taking on the dialog in recent times. Whereas there is not any particular watch order for all these totally different items of the Star Wars universe, Disney has launched an official timeline.
You in all probability assumed that The Clone Wars animated sequence takes place between Episodes II and III, however what concerning the others? Based on Disney, Star Wars: Rebels is about earlier than the occasions of A New Hope. The Mandalorian takes place after Return of the Jedi however earlier than the Star Wars: Resistance animated sequence. In the event you occur to be loopy sufficient to look at each film and present in chronological order, this is what that will seem like:
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Star Wars Classic
Disney could also be pushing Star Wars TV exhausting, but it surely’s not the primary time the franchise has been on the small display screen. Outdated TV films and animated sequence have been exhausting to seek out, till they have been added to Disney+ beneath the Star Wars Classic banner. When you nonetheless cannot stream the 1978 Star Wars Vacation Particular in its entirety, a number of classics have been made obtainable to look at:
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The Story of the Faithful Wookiee – The animated portion from the 1978 Vacation Particular that launched Boba Fett.
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Caravan of Courage – A 1984 made-for-TV movie about two kids who meet a band of Ewoks whereas looking for their lacking mother and father.
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Ewoks: The Battle For Endor – The 1985 sequel to the primary Ewok movie, which sees a younger little one and her Ewok companions battle a bunch of invading marauders.
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Ewoks – A spin-off animated sequence centered on a bunch of Ewoks that ran for 2 seasons between 1985 and 1986.
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Star Wars: Droids – An animated sequence starring R2-D2 and C-3PO that ran for one season in 1985.
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Star Wars: Clone Wars – An animated micro-series concerning the Clone Wars, created by Genndy Tartakovsky and lasting for 3 seasons between 2003 and 2005.
The whole lot Nonetheless to Come
Disney has introduced many alternative Star Wars initiatives, however most of those productions have but to floor. Rian Johnson, Taika Waititi, Patty Jenkins, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Donald Glover, and James Mangold have all been hooked up to movies (or full trilogies) which have both floundered or are usually not but formally introduced.
We all know that Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, which continues the story of The Mandalorian, is expected to release on Could 22, 2026. It was additionally just announced that Shawn Levy will direct Ryan Gosling in Star Wars: Starfighter, which is about 5 years after The Rise of Skywalker and anticipated to launch on Could 28, 2027.
As for TV, Andor Season 2 debuted on April 22, with two additional episodes launched every week till Could 13. Tales of the Underworld is a new anthology of animated shorts that follows Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane in the course of the Imperial Period, and can premiere in Fortnite, of all locations, on Could 2, 2025, earlier than it debuts on Disney+ for Could 4. Season 2 of Ahsoka is meant to begin filming in April 2025, and Star Wars: Visions Season 3 has a 2025 release date.
About Jason Cohen
Senior Editor, Assist & How To
