# List of Star Wars films

The [Star Wars](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars) films are the theatrical feature films of the Star Wars franchise, produced by [Lucasfilm](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucasfilm): nine episodic films forming the Skywalker Saga, two standalone anthology films, and the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Eleven live-action feature films had been released between 1977 and 2019, with new theatrical entries resuming in 2026 after a seven-year gap.<sup>[1](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/star-wars-movies-in-order-how-to-watch/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://time.com/7276401/star-wars-franchise-andor-upcoming-movies/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[15](https://www.disneyplus.com/explore/articles/star-wars-movies-in-order)</sup>

| Film | Year | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV) | 1977 | Original trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V) | 1980 | Original trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Episode VI) | 1983 | Original trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Episode I) | 1999 | Prequel trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (Episode II) | 2002 | Prequel trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Episode III) | 2005 | Prequel trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: The Clone Wars | 2008 | Animated<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Episode VII) | 2015 | Sequel trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | 2016 | Anthology<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Episode VIII) | 2017 | Sequel trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Solo: A Star Wars Story | 2018 | Anthology<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |
| Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Episode IX) | 2019 | Sequel trilogy<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup> |

## Release order and the out-of-order saga

The saga was deliberately told out of order. The 1977 film, released simply as Star Wars, was originally intended as a stand-alone film; it carried no episode number or subtitle in its original release, and received the subtitle Episode IV – A New Hope with its April 10, 1981 theatrical re-release, at which point it placed fourth in the chronological order of the nine-film Skywalker Saga.<sup>[4](https://newsletter-dev.oscars.org/what-to-watch/post/how-to-watch-every-star-wars-movie-in-the-correct-order)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.hulu.com/guides/star-wars-order)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[16](https://www.starwars.com/video/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope-opening-crawl)</sup>  The original trilogy (Episodes IV–VI, 1977–1983) was followed by the prequel trilogy (Episodes I–III, released 1999–2005), which depicts the rise of the Empire and the creation of the [Rebellion](https://www.edgepedia.org/rebellion), and then the sequel trilogy (Episodes VII–IX, 2015–2019).<sup>[6](https://guides.justwatch.com/uk/star-wars-movies-in-order)</sup>

Two anthology films sit outside the numbered episodes: [Rogue One](https://www.edgepedia.org/rogue-one): A Star Wars Story (2016), the first of the standalone films, and [Solo: A Star Wars Story](https://www.edgepedia.org/solo-a-star-wars-story) (2018).<sup>[7](https://www.starwars.com/films/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup>  The animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) also received a theatrical release.<sup>[3](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)</sup>

## Chronological order

Viewers can watch the films in release order or in the order of the story's internal timeline. In the in-universe dating system, events are measured relative to the [Battle of Yavin](https://www.edgepedia.org/battle-of-yavin): Episode II – Attack of the Clones takes place 22 BBY, meaning 22 years before the Battle of Yavin.<sup>[8](https://www.tomsguide.com/news/star-wars-movies-in-order-4k-hdr)</sup> In chronological order the Skywalker Saga runs from The Phantom Menace through Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker.<sup>[9](https://www.starwars.com/news/skywalker-saga-marathon)</sup>

## Canon and Legends

In 2014, in preparation for the new films, the Lucasfilm Story Group rebooted the canon: the main films and shows were preserved, while the associated TV movies, books, games, and comics were moved into the Star Wars Legends category.<sup>[10](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/star-wars-movies-in-order)</sup> Under the earlier tiered system, the films themselves (G-canon, named for [George Lucas](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-lucas)) sat at the top, with television works, licensed books, comics, and games on lower tiers.<sup>[11](https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/985169/7/Keidl_PhD_S2019.pdf)</sup> [Star Wars: Visions](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars-visions), the anthology of anime shorts, exists outside official Star Wars continuity.<sup>[8](https://www.tomsguide.com/news/star-wars-movies-in-order-4k-hdr)</sup>

## Upcoming films

No Star Wars film was released theatrically between The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and 2026.<sup>[2](https://time.com/7276401/star-wars-franchise-andor-upcoming-movies/)</sup> The next entry, Star Wars: [The Mandalorian and Grogu](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-mandalorian-and-grogu) (2026), directed by [Jon Favreau](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-favreau), brings the Disney+ series characters to the big screen, starring [Pedro Pascal](https://www.edgepedia.org/pedro-pascal) as Din Djarin and Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward.<sup>[12](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/star-wars-the-mandalorian-and-grogu/)</sup> Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling as the character Kade Auberon, is the only other film with a firm release date, set for May 28, 2027, with an entirely new cast of characters set about five years after The Rise of Skywalker.<sup>[13](https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-star-wars-movies/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://time.com/7276401/star-wars-franchise-andor-upcoming-movies/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.starwars.com/films)</sup>

Several other projects have been announced without release dates. Lucasfilm has named films from [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy), continuing Rey's story after The Rise of Skywalker; [James Mangold](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-mangold), set at the dawn of the Jedi roughly 25,000 years before The Phantom Menace; and [Dave Filoni](https://www.edgepedia.org/dave-filoni), a cinematic conclusion to the interconnected stories of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and related Disney+ series.<sup>[4](https://newsletter-dev.oscars.org/what-to-watch/post/how-to-watch-every-star-wars-movie-in-the-correct-order)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://time.com/7276401/star-wars-franchise-andor-upcoming-movies/)</sup>  A Star Wars film announced from Taika Waititi in May 2020, once targeted by then-Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy for a late 2023 release, was confirmed by Waititi to have been put on ice; beyond it, seven other announced films await release dates and production updates.<sup>[14](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/star-wars-movies/6-years-after-it-was-first-announced-taika-waititi-confirms-his-star-wars-movie-has-been-put-on-ice/)</sup> A previously planned Rogue Squadron film, to be directed by Patty Jenkins, had been intended as the next release in 2023 but did not proceed.<sup>[1](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/star-wars-movies-in-order-how-to-watch/)</sup>

## Anniversaries and re-releases

The original film returns to theaters for a 50th anniversary re-release on February 19, 2027.<sup>[7](https://www.starwars.com/films)</sup> For the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace, Lucasfilm screened the entire Skywalker Saga, all nine episodic films in chronological order, in theaters on May the 4th, [Star Wars Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars-day).<sup>[9](https://www.starwars.com/news/skywalker-saga-marathon)</sup>

## References

1. [How to Watch All the Star Wars Movies and Series in Order, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/star-wars-movies-in-order-how-to-watch/)
2. [Why There Hasn't Been a Star Wars Movie in 6 Years—And What Comes Next, Time](https://time.com/7276401/star-wars-franchise-andor-upcoming-movies/)
3. [Productions, Lucasfilm.com](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/)
4. [Where to Watch Every Star Wars Movie, Academy (Oscars newsletter)](https://newsletter-dev.oscars.org/what-to-watch/post/how-to-watch-every-star-wars-movie-in-the-correct-order)
5. [Star Wars Movies in Release Date Order: Full List, Hulu](https://www.hulu.com/guides/star-wars-order)
6. [Star Wars movies in order, JustWatch UK guide](https://guides.justwatch.com/uk/star-wars-movies-in-order)
7. [Star Wars Films, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/films/)
8. [How to watch the Star Wars movies in order — and the shows too, Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/news/star-wars-movies-in-order-4k-hdr)
9. [Skywalker Saga Marathon Coming to Theaters on May the 4th, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/news/skywalker-saga-marathon)
10. [Star Wars Movies In Order: How to Watch the Saga Chronologically, Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/star-wars-movies-in-order)
11. [Keidl, PhD dissertation on Star Wars canon, Concordia University](https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/985169/7/Keidl_PhD_S2019.pdf)
12. [Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Lucasfilm.com](https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/star-wars-the-mandalorian-and-grogu/)
13. [Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-star-wars-movies/)
14. [Taika Waititi confirms his Star Wars movie has been put on ice, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/star-wars-movies/6-years-after-it-was-first-announced-taika-waititi-confirms-his-star-wars-movie-has-been-put-on-ice/)
15. [Star Wars Movies In Order, Explore Disney+](https://www.disneyplus.com/explore/articles/star-wars-movies-in-order)
16. [Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope - Opening Crawl - Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV)](https://www.starwars.com/video/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope-opening-crawl)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Collective, character, and franchise filmographies › Franchise and series filmographies*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license
