Over the past half-century, 11 Star Wars films have been released in theaters and have become an integral part of American popular culture. This series is considered by generations of fans to be a landmark in the science fiction genre.
Star Wars consists of the original three films, prequels, sequels, and standalone films. You can watch the series in chronological order, starting with the original three films, then the prequels, and ending with the spin-offs. Watching them chronologically will help you better understand the origins of the characters and the development of the story. Star Wars is not only the highest-grossing film series of all time, but also a vital part of popular culture, profoundly influencing many generations.
Harper’s Bazaar presents a list of Star Wars films in order of release, including the film title and year:
1. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is an epic space film directed and written by George Lucas. It is the first film in the original trilogy and the first film in the Star Wars franchise.
The film tells the story of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), a young man living on the planet Tatooine, who discovers an important message from Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), who is being held captive by the Galactica Empire. Luke, along with Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), bounty hunter Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and two droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, board the Millennium Falcon spaceship to rescue Leia and confront the empire.
They fought against the Empire’s forces. Ultimately, Luke used the Power to destroy the Death Star, defeating the Empire’s army in a crucial victory for the Resistance.
2. Star Wars: Episode V (1980)
Star Wars: Episode V is set three years after the events of A New Hope. The Galactic Empire, under the brutal rule of Emperor Palpatine and the iron fist of Darth Vader, relentlessly hunts down the remnants of the Rebel Alliance.
While Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) seeks out Jedi master Yoda to train his Force abilities, Vader relentlessly pursues his friends – Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO. They flee to Cloud City but fall into the Empire’s trap.
There, Luke confronts Vader in a dramatic battle. He was severely wounded and shocked to learn the horrifying truth: Vader was his father. Meanwhile, Han Solo was frozen in carbonite and about to be handed over to the criminal mastermind Jabba the Hutt.
Despite their perilous situation, the Rebel Alliance did not give up hope. The fight against the Empire continued, and the fate of the galaxy remained uncertain.
3. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
The Return of the Jedi begins when Luke Skywalker plans to rescue Han from Jabba the Hutt’s captivity. After a difficult battle, they successfully free Han.
Afterward, Luke returns to Dagobah to complete his Jedi training with Yoda. Before his death, Yoda reveals that Darth Vader is Luke’s father. To complete his mission, Luke must confront Vader and Emperor Palpatine, the leader of the Empire.
The Resistance discovers the Empire is building a new Death Star and decides to attack. Luke, Han, and Leia join the campaign, while Luke struggles with choosing between Power and his love for his father.
In the Battle of Endor, Han and Leia’s group confronts the Empire, while Luke faces the Emperor and Darth Vader on the Death Star. Despite being tempted by the Dark Side, Luke does not kill his father. Ultimately, Vader repents and sacrifices himself to save Luke, defeating Palpatine and destroying the Death Star.
4. Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Phantom Menace begins with two Jedi knights, Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), sent to the planet Naboo to mediate with the Trade Federation. When the mediation fails, they escort Queen Padmé Amidala to escape the planet.
On their way to Coruscant, they stop at Tatooine to repair their spaceship, where Qui-Gon meets the slave boy Anakin Skywalker, who possesses extraordinary talent. Qui-Gon believes Anakin will bring balance to the chaotic universe.
After Anakin joins the group, they return to Naboo to fight the Alliance’s droid army. Anakin inadvertently helps destroy an enemy warship. In the decisive battle, Qui-Gon is killed by Sith Lord Darth Maul, but Obi-Wan avenges this by killing Maul and promising to train Anakin. The film ends with the dark side of the Sith returning and Anakin being accepted into training to become a Jedi.
5. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
The Invasion of the Clones was the first film shot entirely in HD digital and also the first to be released globally in the same year as the original. The film takes place 10 years after the events of The Phantom Menace, when the Galactic Empire faces instability due to planets seceding from the empire.
Under the leadership of Count Dooku, a Jedi rebel, thousands of planets threaten to break away from the empire. When Senator Padmé Amidala, the former queen of Naboo, becomes the target of assassination, young Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker is tasked with protecting her. At the same time, Anakin’s mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, is assigned to investigate the assassination. Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan are soon drawn into the territory of the separatist organization, marking the beginning of the Clones War, threatening the very existence of the republic.
6. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Three years after the start of the Clone Wars, the Jedi are facing the growing power of the Separatist Alliance, led by General Grievous. Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the most skilled Jedi, is sent to eliminate General Grievous to end the war.
Meanwhile, young Jedi Anakin Skywalker, grappling with internal conflicts of love and responsibility, is tasked with tracking Palpatine, the High Chancellor of the Galactic Empire. Palpatine, actually a Sith Lord, gradually manipulates Anakin. He exploits Anakin’s fears and anxieties, particularly his fear of losing his wife, Padmé Amidala.
When Padmé dies in childbirth, Anakin is shocked and completely falls into Palpatine’s hands. This transformation marks the appearance of Darth Vader. From then on, Anakin becomes Palpatine’s tool in eliminating the Jedi Council and restoring power to the Sith Empire.
7. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
The Force Awakens is the seventh film in the Star Wars series and the beginning of a new trilogy in the Star Wars saga. The film takes place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi.
Rey (Daisy Ridley), a girl living on the planet Jakku, discovers BB-8, a droid carrying a map leading to Luke Skywalker, the missing Jedi. She teams up with Finn (John Boyega), a former stormtrooper, and Han Solo to confront the First Order, a tyrannical organization led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), seeking power and control of the galaxy. After Kylo Ren kills Han Solo, Rey discovers the power of the Force and finds Luke Skywalker, promising a new journey to save the galaxy and confront the dark forces.
8. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Set one week before the events of A New Hope (1977), the film focuses on the character Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones). Jyn’s father, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), was a brilliant scientist who once worked for the Empire. To protect his daughter from falling into the wrong hands, he collaborated with the Empire and abandoned Jyn when she was a child.
Thirteen years later, Jyn is recruited by the Rebel Alliance to track down her father. They believe Galen secretly sent them a message, revealing that the Galactic Empire possesses a weapon of mass destruction capable of “blowing up” an entire planet. The Alliance needs to verify this information, and if the rumors are true, they must find a way to destroy the weapon. Along with a group of warriors, Jyn Erso forms the Rogue One squad to undertake this perilous mission.
9. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi continues the story from part 7. Rey (Daisy Ridley), a girl with a mysterious background, travels to the planet Ahch-To to find Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the legendary Jedi knight. During her training to master the Force, Rey discovers she has a strange psychic connection with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), Luke’s former fallen apprentice.
Meanwhile, Finn (John Boyega), Rose (Kelly Marie Tran), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), three passionate resistance fighters, discover a risky plan that could help them turn the tide and confront the evil First Order.
10. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Solo: A Star Wars Story tells the story of Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) in his early years, before becoming a legend in A New Hope.
The story follows young Han as he attempts to escape the planet Corellia with his lover Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke), but they are separated. Qi’ra is captured by a criminal gang. After joining the army and being expelled, Han meets Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and joins Beckett’s (Woody Harrelson) criminal gang.
During a mineral heist, Han meets Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) and acquires the Millennium Falcon. This marks the beginning of his deep relationship with Chewbacca and his path to becoming a notorious criminal.
11. Watch Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) is the final installment in the new Star Wars trilogy and concludes the Skywalker saga spanning over 40 years. The story takes place after the events of The Last Jedi and continues the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order.
Rey (Daisy Ridley) continues her training to become a Jedi and discovers her connection to Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). She discovers she is the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the mastermind behind the plot to re-establish the Sith Empire.
Rey and her friends Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) seek to stop Palpatine’s plan and destroy his weapons. In the decisive battle on the planet Exegol, Rey fights Palpatine and receives help from Ben Solo, the supreme leader of the First Order, who returns to the light and sacrifices himself to save her. Ultimately, Rey defeats Palpatine and declares herself Rey Skywalker, ending the Skywalker saga with a hopeful conclusion.
The above are 11 Star Wars films, from the first to the last, that have become icons of global science fiction cinema. Beyond the films, the Star Wars universe has expanded through animated series, television shows, television cartoons, and video games.
