If we talk about the history of cinema, there have been a lot of franchises that have molded how modern cinema is. However, if there is one movie saga that has marked a turning point in sci-fi it has to be the Star Wars franchise. Star Wars has one of the most expansive universes that can lead you in a cobweb where you can’t understand what’s going on. So, to help you not get caught in that web, let’s learn about the chronological order to watch the Star Wars movies and TV shows and how everything fits into the Star Wars Timeline
Star Wars Movies and Shows in Order
1. Star Wars: The Acolyte
A brand new series from the Star Wars Franchise, Star Wars: The Acolyte, is set to release on June 4, 2024. Even though this series is coming out in 2024, the events shown in the series are set even before the first Star Wars movie. This series will explore the rise of Siths and how the golden days of the Republic or the High Republic era gradually started moving towards its end.
2. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
The Phantom Menace released in 1999 is set before the events that took place in the original trilogy of Star Wars hence making it the first movie that you should watch before going through the rest of the content from Star Wars. This movie features a young Anakin Skywalker who is supposed to bring back balance to the force. Even though Phantom Menace is not one of the critically hit Star Wars movies it is considered to be one of the cult classics.
3. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
The second movie to serve as a prequel is Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, this movie’s landscape is set 10 years after the events we witnessed in The Phantom Menace this movie revolves around a rather older Anakin Skywalker along with Obi-Wan Kenobi as they discover new threats in the galaxy that eventually leads up to one of the most famous events in the Star Wars universe, The Clone Wars.
4. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (The Animated Series)
Running on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2005, Star Wars: Clone Wars is an animated series that talks in depth about the Clone Wars events creating a perfect bridge between Attack of Clones and Revenge of The Sith. This series once again brings back Anakin and Obi-Wan as the lead characters and even after the end of this series in 2005, the story led on to be continued in the 2008 animated movie.
5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (The Animated Movie)
Before the new Clone Wars series started, an animated movie with the same name was released a couple of months before. It took place not long after Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. James Arnold Taylor was back as Obi-Wan Kenobi, but they changed the voice for Anakin to Matt Lanter and introduced Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano. They all continued in the series afterward.
6. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Two months after the 2008 animated film, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” aired on Cartoon Network. It took place between Episodes II and III, serving as a bridge between the two. It’s a sequel to the older Clone Wars series released in 2003 and brings back many characters and voices from the movie. Everything in the series leads up to the big ending of Episode III: “Revenge of the Sith.”
7. Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
The last movie in the prequel trilogy was “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” released in 2005. This film happens three years after Episode II and after the events of the Clone Wars. It’s a big turning point for Anakin and marks an end to the prequel trilogy of the Skywalker Saga. But even though “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” begins a new part of the Star Wars tale, before that there are still lots of stories left to tell that will finally bring about the events of Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope.
8. Star Wars: The Bad Batch
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” is a follow-up story to The Clone Wars and takes place after the wars come to an end. It focuses on Clone Force 99, a team of exceptional clone troopers, as they embark on mercenary missions in the aftermath of the Clone Wars. As of now, Season 3 of this series is running on Disney Plus.
9. Solo: A Star Wars Story
“Solo: A Star Wars Story.” is set way before the main Star Wars Trilogy. It introduces us to Han Solo, who grows to be one of the most important characters in the Star Wars franchise. This movie happened 10 years before the first Star Wars movie, and it focuses on the adventures of Han and his friend Chewbacca both of whom are highly popular characters to date.
10. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Back In 2022, a show called “Obi-Wan Kenobi” came out on Disney Plus revolving around Obi-Wan Kenobi 10 years after the third Star Wars movie, Revenge of The Sith. Ewan McGregor plays Obi-Wan again. Even though this series was planned to be a limited, one-season project, Lucasfilm says that if fans really want it, a second season might possibly be made.
11. Star Wars Rebels: The Animated Series
“Star Wars Rebels” is an animated show set more than 10 years following the events of the third Star Wars movie and five years before the fourth one. This series primarily focuses on how The Rebellion began in the Star Wars universe. The show has a total of four seasons with 75 episodes combined, so there’s a lot to watch if you’re interested in how the Rebellion began.
12. Andor-5 BBY
“Star Wars: Andor” has a very similar setting to “Star Wars Rebels.” It takes place five years before the fourth Star Wars movie and elaborates on the story behind how the Rebel Alliance started. Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, is the main character leading the series. The first season has 12 episodes, the second season is currently under production.
13. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Taking place right before the events of the fourth Star Wars movie. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” revolves around a band of Rebels, including Andor, who are planning to steal the Death Star plans. This movie was the first standalone spin-off from Star Wars and boasted a rather strong cast including, Ben Mendelsohn, Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, and Donnie Yen.
14. Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope
Following all of the events we talked about up to now, Star Wars Chapter 4: A New Hope takes us back to the original Skywalker storyline. This movie revolves around Luke Skywalker who Obi-Wan Kenobi is training to become a Jedi. In this movie, we see Luke on a mission to rescue a Rebel leader named Princess Leia with the help of Han Solo and Chewbacca.
15. Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back is a direct continuation of Star Wars Chapter 4 set three years apart. This movie showcases the rebels as they continue their battle against the imperial forces of Darth Vader. We also get to see Luke being trained in the ways of the Jedi by Yoda while Darth Vader is seen to attempt to lure Luke to join the Dark Side.
16. Star Wars Chapter 6: Return of the Jedi
This movie is the final chapter in the complete Skywalker storyline. Star Wars Chapter 6 is set exactly one year after the events of Empire Strikes Back. This movie revolves around the massive assault carried out by the Rebels on their mission to destroy the newly rebuilt Deathstar. We also get to see a final confrontation between Luke and Darth Vader in this movie leading up to the climax of the Skywalker Saga and opening up doors for new stories as well as new characters for the future.
17. The Mandalorian
After the fall of the Empire, there was a significant gap between the rise of The First Order, and this gap gave rise to certain amazing new stories in the Star Wars universe. One of these stories that left a special mark in the hearts of people was The Mandalorian. This series streaming on Disney Plus is a Wild West-style series revolving around a bounty hunter named Din Djarin played by Pedro Pascal and his adventures with Grogu, a rather unlikely companion.
18. The Book of Boba Fett
Making his first appearance in Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of The Clones, Boba Fett is a character that has been around for a while in this galaxy far far away. We get to see Boba as a bounty hunter in the same timeframe as The Mandalorian. The Book of Boba Fett revolves around him leaving the life of a bounty hunter behind and dedicating himself to taking over and protecting a territory previously governed by Jabba the Hut.
19. Ahsoka
Ahsoka brings back the highly popular Jedi Knight into a spinoff series. However, there has been a lot of confusion about where this show fits in the timeline. In an interview with SFX magazine Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Sabine Wren’s actress stated that “Ahsoka runs along the same timeline as The Mandalorian season 3, and the shows are all connected. There’s just so many parallels.”
20. Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” once again gets us back on track with the original Star Wars Storyline. This movie brings a new team of Rebels along with a new threat called The First Order. In this movie, we get to see Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, an ex Stormtrooper named Finn, played by John Boyega, Han Solo played by Harrison Ford, and a Resistance Pilot named Poe played by Oscar Issac. We get to see this band of rebels come together and track down Luke Skywalker in an attempt to Bring down The First Order.
21. Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi
The Last Jedi takes place right after the events of Episode 7. In this movie, we see Ray continue the search for Luke Skywalker in hopes of getting him to take a stand with the Resistance. While this pursuit takes place on one side, on the other hand, Finn is also seeking help from a mechanic called Rose Tico, played by Kelly Marie Tran with both of them working together to help Resistance members stay safe and hidden from the raids orchestrated by The First Order.
22. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
With this movie, the tale of Star Wars and the Skywalker Saga reaches its grand finale. In Rise of The Skywalker, we get to see the Rebel forces take a final stand against The First Order and Kylo Ren, the main antagonist of this sequel trilogy. Even though this movie was not exactly a massive success it is safe to say that it was a well-delivered tribute to the legacy of Star Wars.
Star Wars Movies and TV Shows in Chronological Order
| Movie/Show | Star War Years | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: The Acolyte | 132 BBY | 2024 |
| Star Wars: The Phantom Menace | 32 BBY | 1999 |
| Star Wars: Attack of the Clones | 22 BBY | 2002 |
| Star Wars: The Clone Wars Animated Series | 22 BBY | 2003-2005 |
| Star Wars: The Clone Wars Movie | 22 BBY | 2008 |
| Star Wars: The Clone Wars Animated Series | 19 BBY to 21 BBY | 2008-2022 |
| Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith | 19 BBY | 2005 |
| Star Wars: The Bad Batch | 19 BBY | 2021 |
| Solo: A Star Wars Story | 10 BBY | 2018 |
| Obi-Wan Kenobi | 9 BBY | 2022 |
| Star Wars Rebels The Animated Series | 5 BBY To 1 BBY | 2014-2018 |
| Andor | 5 BBY | 2022 |
| Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | 1 BBY | 2016 |
| Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope | 0 BBY | 1977 |
| Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back | 3 ABY | 1980 |
| Star Wars Chapter 6: Return of the Jedi | 4 ABY | 1983 |
| The Mandalorian | 9 ABY | 2019 |
| The Book of Boba Fett | 9 ABY | 2021 |
| Ahsoka | 9 ABY To 12 ABY | 2023 |
| Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens | 34 ABY | 2015 |
| Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi | 34 ABY | 2017 |
| Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | 35 ABY | 2019 |
How Are Years Calculated in Star Wars?
The epic of Star Wars took place in a galaxy far far away and brought us a story that a generation grew up with and will probably continue to live as long as humanity holds its ground on the face of Earth. However, Star Wars might play an important role in the Sci-fi genre through the years to come but in the world of Star Wars, years are calculated quite differently than we do.
The first movie to ever come out of Star Wars was Star Wars: The New Hope released in 1977. The main event of that movie was the destruction of the first Death Star by the Rebel Forces and the Jedi in the Battle of Yavin. After this, The Battle of Yavin became a focal point in the whole Star Wars Saga and now every event in the Star Wars franchise is measured in BBY (Before Battle of Yavin) and ABY (After Battle of Yavin).
So for instance if an event in Star Wars took place 2 Years before the Battle of Yavin it would be called 2 BBY and if it happened 2 Years after it, that would be called 2 ABY. This system puts A New Hope in the center of Star Wars and everything else in a segregated timeline around it.
