Where can i buy the first star wars movie

Do you want to know how to watch the star wars movies in order? You are in the right place. With nine main films, several Disney Plus shows, and spin-offs all to consider, it can sometimes seem like it’s easier to make the kessel run in 12 parsecs than it is to repeat a launch or chronological order from memory. /p>

When you factor in the debates over the best way to watch the series (we’re looking at you, the prequel trilogy), it can become an even more complicated task. so we cut through the noise and summarized the best way to watch star wars movies in order. so keep this page handy, whether you’re about to start your first star wars marathon or your 50th.

But before we start, just a note: the animated shows aren’t included below, so to find out where they’re going, check out our timeline of star wars and our guide to watching the clone wars in order. then there’s the Mandalorian timeline to check out as well.

how to watch the star wars movies in order: chronological

Ideal for: Newbies who don’t want to overcomplicate things.

why? While the original 1977 film was originally titled simply “Star Wars”, it was later altered to become known as Star Wars: Episode 4: A New Hope. As a result, the order in which the movies were released is not the order in which the events depicted in the galaxy far, far away happen. Watching the movies in episodic order lines the movies up chronologically and, as it happens, is the preferred viewing order of series creator George Lucas. And who are we to argue with the man who created the Jedi, the Force, and Luke Skywalker?

• star wars: episode 1 – the phantom menace
• star wars: episode 2 – attack of the clones
• star wars: episode 3 – revenge of the sith
• solo: a star wars story
• rogue one: a star wars story
• obi-wan kenobi (disney plus series)
• star wars: episode 4 – a new hope
• star wars: episode 5 – the empire strikes back
• star wars: episode 6 – return of the jedi
• the mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 (disney plus series)
• boba fett’s book (disney plus series)
• star wars: episode 7 – the force awakens
• star wars: episode 8 – the last jedi
• star wars: episode 9 – the rise of skywalker

pros: Possibly the easiest and most direct way to watch movies. there are no flashbacks or anything to confuse the uninitiated. Plus, with the spin-offs included, you get that seamless transition from Rogue One to A New Hope, and the Disney Plus series makes a lot more sense here.

cons: you start with the prequels, which are almost universally seen as the worst star wars movies. the phantom menace, which includes plenty of jar jar binks, might deter some viewers from watching the rest of the series. viewing the prequels first also dates the later films, as the cgi may contrast with the practical effects of the original trilogy.

how to watch star wars movies in order: release order

best for: gamesradar+ recommended viewing experience. Newcomers can experience Star Wars like everyone else. however, we highly recommend watching the main episodes of the series and then coming back for the spin-offs later on. We have put them in bold.

why? a relatively easy way to watch the star wars movies, starting with the one that hit theaters first and ending with the last one in theaters.

• Episode 4: A New Hope
• Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
• Episode 6: Return of the Jedi
• Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
• Episode 2: Attack of the Clones
• Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
• Episode 7: The Force Awakens
• rogue one
• episode 8: the last jedi
• only
• mandalorian season 1 (disney plus series)
• episode 9: the rise of skywalker
• mandalorian season 2 (disney plus series)
• boba fett’s book (disney plus series )
• obi-wan kenobi (disney plus series)

Pros: Viewing movies in release order gives you some advantages over chronological order. that darth vader twist, for example, isn’t spoiled by the prequels, which reveal the fate of a certain young man. And, depending on your age, this could be how you first saw the series, which could give this request an extra dose of nostalgia.

cons: this order includes several time jumps (jumping from the original trilogy, to the prequel, to the sequel, to the spin-off, back to the sequel, to strange disney series plus) and thus can be quite confusing for newcomers. Of course, you can skip the spin-offs and series, and just watch the main saga in order of release, which would probably be our recommendation.

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order of ernst rister

ideal for: people with minimal knowledge of star wars who don’t want to follow a set path.

why? Named after the Star Wars forum poster that proposed it, Ernst Rister’s Order treats the prequel trilogy as an extended flashback detailing the rise of Darth Vader. that means all of vader’s important twist is preserved and possibly enhanced by subsequent flashbacks.

• a new hope
• the empire strikes back
• the phantom menace
• attack of the clones
• revenge of the sith
• return of the jedi
• the force awakens
• the last jedi
• the rise of skywalker

pros: this order keeps the saga focused on luke, which makes it much more digestible than many others and the mystery around vader remains intact. There’s also a decent amount of time that passes between the empire and the return, which means spending time away from the original trilogy doesn’t feel too jarring. Plus, you start with the original movie, one of the greatest movies of all time.

cons: There really isn’t a good place to watch the spin-offs in this order, although many people choose to watch rogue one and only after return of the jedi and before the sequel trilogy (there is also another option, but more on that below). plus, the momentum of the original trilogy is lost a bit when you add a couple of hours to watch the prequels. something that is slightly helped by…

machete order

ideal for: those who hate prequels.

why? software developer and star wars fan rod hilton proposed the order of the cutlass in 2011. yes, it’s almost identical to the order of ernst rister. however, the machete order removes the phantom threat entirely. why? because a lot of fans really dislike episode 1.

• a new hope
• the empire strikes back
• attack of the clones
• revenge of the sith
• return of the jedi
• the force awakens
• the last jedi
• the rise of skywalker

pros: all the advantages of the ernst rister order and with less hassle.

cons: again, all the cons of the ernst rister order, plus you still need to know what happens in the phantom menace, as a couple of events are mentioned again (including the midichlorians, which are mentioned again). You also miss out on the incredible lightsaber battle known as the Duel of the Fates.

backwards order

Ideal for: Star Wars fans looking to get involved in spin-offs.

why? much like the order of ernst rister, but this time with room to include those prequels. the flashback order uses solo and rogue one to give context to a new hope, and the prequels to give additional context to luke’s relationship with vader.

• a new hope
• alone
• rogue
• the empire strikes back
• phantom menace
• attack of the clones
• revenge of the sith
• return of the jedi
• the force awakens
• the last jedi
• the rise of skywalker

pros: you fit in the spin-offs….

cons: …however, its location breaks the original trilogy more than the rister order. Jumping back and forth in the timeline can be fine for those versed in Star Wars, but it can also be very confusing. flashbacks work best when used sparingly, and this order largely depends on them.

alternate order

Ideal for: Star Wars fans with too much free time.

why? “it’s like poetry, they rhyme.”

those are the famous words of george lucas, who noted while working on phantom menace that he intended certain thematic backgrounds to recur across multiple trilogies. this order, although very unconventional, highlights them. in short, you see the three ‘part ones’ in a row, then the three ‘part twos’, then two ‘part threes’.

• a new hope
• the phantom menace
• the force awakens
• the empire strikes back
• the attack of the clones
• the last jedi
• return of the jedi
• revenge of the sith
• the rise of skywalker

pros: if you’re one of those fans who can recite every word of every star wars movie, this viewing method can shed light on some of the less appreciated subtleties present throughout the movie. Serie. . if you consider yourself more interested in how film technology has evolved over the years than the actual plot, it’s fascinating.

Cons: This command is not for the uninitiated. the story becomes an unmitigated mess when viewed this way, and it’s less about the plot than it is about the production and cinematography.

obi-wan order

best for: obi-wan kenobi stans.

why? instead of putting luke skywalker front and center, this order refocuses the story on obi-wan kenobi, relying on ewan mcgregor’s performance to bring your enjoyment to through the prequels. remembering his journey after luke destroys the death star shows how he became the wise old man we know in the tatooine sands. Instead of a standard hero’s journey from nobody to champion, Star Wars becomes the story of an established hero passing the torch.

• a new hope
• the phantom menace
• attack of the clones
• revenge of the sith
• obi-wan kenobi
• the empire strikes back
• return of the jedi
• the force awakens
• the last jedi
• the rise of skywalker

Pros: It’s certainly a unique take on the Star Wars saga: Most people would say that Luke or Anakin are the real heroes, but this order argues otherwise. If you feel like seeing a galaxy far, far away through someone else’s eyes, try this. plus, the prequels are given new life when the story is apparently about kenobi.

cons: surprisingly few. really, the biggest downside is that darth vader’s spin is messed up.

do you need more star wars in your life? So why not read about all the upcoming Star Wars movies (Opens in a new tab) that are coming to theaters?

Subscribing to Disney Plus is the easiest way to watch the entire saga yet – it’s all available through the streaming service. Since the Disney Plus free trial is no longer available, be sure to check Disney Plus bundles in your area to get the best deal possible.