WARNING: This list contains major Star Wars movie spoilers!
Now that we have movie franchise lists of several different brands, including all Star Trek movies, it’s only fair to write one about all Star Wars movies as well. And while we’re at it, let’s just set this up in chronological order so you know what’s going on in the storyline.
However, the watching order of Star Wars movies is something else, because in my opinion the best way to watch this awesome franchise is the way George Lucas intended it, which is by order of release. George Lucas always envisioned a 12 movie Star Wars storyline, although the initial timelines were a bit different from how it ended up. Apart from these differences, there were always supposed to be sets of sequels and prequels to support to story so watching them in the order of release is pretty much how Lucas meant it to be watched.
Of course, it could be easier to watch Star Wars movies in chronological order, because there are lots of names and storylines to remember. But that sense of recognition when you watch a prequel after having seen a storyline in the future is just magical. Anyway, that’s my opinion.
Let’s have a look at the Star Wars movies in order of the galactic timeline. This list only covers part of the “Timeline of galactic history”, by means of the movies. At this time there’s no inclusion of Star Wars series like The Mandalorian, but maybe I’ll get to that later. We’re now covering the movies revolving around the Skywalker Saga, which includes some stories that support this main storyline.
The galactic timeline’s unit of measure is number of years BBY and ABY, or Before the Battle of Yavin and After the Battle of Yavin. You’ll find 0 ABY (or 0 BBY) at Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), referring to the Battle of Yavin, also known as The Battle of the Death Star.
Let’s go!
Table of contents
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2015)
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- The Ewok Adventure (1984 TV Movie)
- Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985 TV Movie)
- Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
- Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
- Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
- Conclusion
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
This list of Star Wars movies in order of the chronological timeline starts off simply at Episode I, where we are introduced to the young boy Anakin Skywalker. I remember going crazy when a teaser poster was released where you could see Anakin Skywalker and his shadow casts in the shape of Darth Vader. That was quite a thrill! As mentioned before, I’d advise to watch the Star Wars movies in order of release, because the storyline is awesome with a sense of anticipation in prequels like Episode 1 to 3. You already know Darth Vader will be this great bad guy, so watching Anakin Skywalker grow up makes it even more interesting if you’re aware of his future.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 32 BBY
- Year of release: 1999
- Director: George Lucas
- Main cast: Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd
- Main characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, Jar-Jar Binks, Queen Amidala/Padmé, Senator Palpatine, Darth Maul
- Main planets: Naboo, Tatooine, Coruscant
- Filming budget: $115 million
- Box office: $1.027 billion
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
10 years after the events of The Phantom Menace we find Anakin Skywalker getting further acquainted with The Force through his teacher Obi-Wan Kenobi. It is already clear that Anakin has a greater depth which slowly lures him towards the Dark Side.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 22 BBY
- Year of release: 2002
- Director: George Lucas
- Main cast: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson
- Main characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Padmé, Count Dooku, Supreme Chancelor Palpatine, Jango Fett
- Main planets: Naboo, Tatooine, Coruscant, Geonosis, Kamino
- Filming budget: $115,000,000
- Box office: $653 million
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
3 years later, Anakin completes his transition to the Dark Side, becoming Darth Vader under the wings of Supreme Chancelor Palpatine, who is secretly Dark Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 19 BBY
- Year of release: 2005
- Director: George Lucas
- Main cast: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson
- Main characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Padmé, Mace Windu, Count Dooku, Supreme Chancelor Palpatine
- Main planets: Tatooine, Coruscant, Cato Neimoidia, Felucia, Utapau, Kashyyyk, Mustafar
- Filming budget: $113 million
- Box office: $868 million
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
An estimated six to nine years after Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader, we meet young Han Solo and his Chewbacca in this Star Wars spin-off.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 13-10 BBY
- Year of release: 2018
- Director: Ron Howard
- Main cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover
- Main characters: Han Solo, Chewbacca, Becket, Qi-ra, Lando Calrissian
- Main planets: Corellia, Mimban, Vandor, Kessel, Savareen, Dathomir
- Filming budget: $300 million
- Box office: $393 million
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2015)
We jump ahead about 10 to 13 years just before the Battle of Yavin as we now see how Princess Leia got a hold of the Death Star plans. Although the band of rebels in this Star Wars movie isn’t seen again in the series, their struggle is of major significance in the Star Wars storyline.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 0 BBY/ 0 ABY
- Year of release: 2015
- Director: Gareth Edwards
- Main cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang
- Main characters: Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, K-2SO, Chirrut Îmwe, Baze Malbus
- Main planets: Lah’mu, Jedha (desert moon), Death Star (a moon-sized space station), Eadu
- Filming budget: $265 million
- Box office: $1.056 billion
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Now that the Rebellion has the plans, we are introduced to Luke Skywalker who’s asked to take the Death Star plans to the planet Alderaan for further analysis. Great battle ensues.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 0 BBY/ 0 ABY
- Year of release: 1977
- Director: George Lucas
- Main cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse
- Main characters: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Darth Vader
- Main planets: Alderaan, Tatooine, Yavin, Yavin IV
- Filming budget: $11 million
- Box office: $775 million
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
3 years later, a lot happens in this Star Wars movie, obviously, but let’s just stick to the great reveal: Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father! PLOT-TWIST BONANZA!
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 3 ABY
- Year of release: 1980
- Director: Irvin Kershner
- Main cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew
- Main characters: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Lando Calrissian, Darth Vader, Boba Fett
- Main planets: Bespin, Dagobah, Hoth
- Filming budget: $33 million
- Box office: $547 million
The Ewok Adventure (1984 TV Movie)
This movie, which should only be watched by true Star Wars fans, takes place at roughly the same time as The Empire Strikes back. There’s not much significance to the main Skywalker Saga, but it could be fun to watch because there are some references to the Forest Moon of Endor throughout the Star Wars movies.
- Also known as: Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 3 ABY
- Year of release: 1984
- Director: John Korty
- Main cast: Eric Walker, Warwick Davis, Fionnula Flanagan, Guy Boyd, Aubree Miller
- Main characters: Mace, Wicket, Catarine, Jeremitt, Cindel
- Main planets: Forest Moon of Endor
- Filming budget: ?
- Box office: ?
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985 TV Movie)
This sequel to The Ewok Adventure (1984) is another enjoyable side-step from the Skywalker Saga while learning more about the Ewoks and their Forest Moon of Endor. It takes place about one year after it’s predecessor.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 4 ABY
- Year of release: 1985
- Director: Jim Wheat, Ken Wheat
- Main cast: Wilford Brimley, Warwick Davis, Aubree Miller, Siân Phillips, Carel Struycken, Paul Gleason
- Main characters: Noa, Wicket, Cindel, Charal, Terak, Jeremitt
- Main planets: Forest Moon of Endor
- Filming budget: ?
- Box office: ?
Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)
Now that we learned so much about the Forest Moon of Endor it’s nice to return to the main Skywalker storyline with Return of the Jedi. The Rebel Alliance, along with their star member Luke Skywalker, battles to prevent the Empire from building a second Death Star near Endor, which stations the all-important shield generator for them to destroy.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 4 ABY
- Year of release: 1983
- Director: Richard Marquand
- Main cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, Anakin Skywalker, Ian McDiarmid
- Main characters: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Lando Calrissian, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, The Emperor
- Main planets: Dagobah, Endor, Tatooine,
- Filming budget: $32 million
- Box office: $475 million
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
There’s a big jump of 30 years here and in between there’s the story of The Mandalorian (the Disney+ Star Wars series) at about 10 ABY. Anyway, 34 after the destruction of the first Death Star, we find out there’s now the First Order, replacing the fallen Galactic Empire of the original Star Wars trilogy. This is the sequel trilogy to the original 70s and 80s Star Wars films and sets the stage for the end of the Skywalker Saga, but not before we get to enjoy these final three awesome Star Wars movies.
Oh, and there’s another Death Star project, this time the size of a planet instead of its puny moon-sized predecessor. It’s called Star Killer Base and sadly it’s where the epic hero Han Solo meets his demise after revealing he’s Kylo Ren’s father.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 34 ABY
- Year of release: 2015
- Director: J.J. Abrams
- Main cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Andy Serkis
- Main characters: Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Supreme Leader Snoke
- Main planets: Jakku, Takodana, Starkiller Base (a planet-sized superweapon)
- Filming budget: $306 million
- Box office: $2.068 billion
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
This sequel in the final Star Wars trilogy takes place right after The Force Awakens and should therefore be watched in sequence. Forgive this Star Wars movie for the Jesus-like, flying General Leia Organa revival scene and you get to watch a fair amount of great action and further growth of Jedi-to-be and Luke Skywalker apprentice, Rey.
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 34 ABY
- Year of release: 2017
- Director: Rian Johnson
- Main cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Andy Serkis
- Main characters: Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Supreme Leader Snoke
- Main planets: Jakku, Takodana, Starkiller Base (a planet-sized superweapon)
- Filming budget: $300 million
- Box office: $1.333 billion
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
About one year after we see Rey taking on Luke Skywalker’s Jedi training, there’s a surprise return of Emperor Palpatine, a.k.a. Darth Sidious. His “Final Order” plan involves recruiting his granddaughter Rey to lead his secretly built fleet of ships and become the Empress Palpatine. There’s a lot of back and forth of dying and resurrecting by means of Jedi powers in this movie, so it keeps your heart racing.
It’s a worthy end to a Skywalker Saga that has taken about 50 years, which is a great accomplishment by awesome storyteller George Lucas (although he sold his company LucasArts and all the movie rights to Disney in 2012).
- Star Wars galaxy timeline: 35 ABY
- Year of release: 2019
- Director: J.J. Abrams
- Main cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher (archive footage)
- Main characters: Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia
- Main planets: Jakku, Takodana, Starkiller Base (a planet-sized superweapon)
- Filming budget: $275 million
- Box office: $1.074 billion
Conclusion
The Star Wars triple trilogies, their spin-offs and series offer some of the greatest movies ever made. This does not mean that each movie by itself is the best ever, but we’ve been watching these great productions since the 70s and will probably watch all of these movies for decades to come. Not to mention the endless stream of series and, hopefully, new spin-off movies to keep the story going for years.
So, how do you think the Star Wars movies should be watched? Perhaps you are old enough to have watched all movies at release. Or perhaps you prefer to watch the movies in chronological order as described above. You’re welcome to share your thoughts in the comments below!
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