Latest News About Star Wars Movies In Order

Here’s a concise, up-to-date guide to Star Wars movies in order of release and in-world chronology, plus quick notes on what's planned.

Direct answer

• Release order (the Skywalker saga era and standalone films as released): Episode IV: A New Hope (1977); The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Return of the Jedi (1983); The Phantom Menace (1999); Attack of the Clones (2002); Revenge of the Sith (2005); Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018); Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) is often shown just before A New Hope; The Force Awakens (2015); The Last Jedi (2017); The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Standalone and spin-offs are sometimes watched at different points, but this is the core release sequence. Some newer projects and TV series aren’t films and aren’t included in this list.
• In-universe chronological (story order): Episode I – The Phantom Menace; Episode II – Attack of the Clones; Episode III – Revenge of the Sith; Solo: A Star Wars Story; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story; Episode IV – A New Hope; Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back; Episode VI – Return of the Jedi; Episode VII – The Force Awakens; Episode VIII – The Last Jedi; Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. This order is commonly used for watching the saga in-story progression.

Key sections

Release chronology overview

• The original trilogy began with A New Hope in 1977, followed by The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). These three form the foundational trilogy of the saga.
• The prequel trilogy launched with The Phantom Menace (1999), then Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005), showing Anakin Skywalker’s arc.
• The sequel era began with The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), wrapping the Skywalker saga.
• Standalone films Rogue One (2016) and Solo (2018) sit between certain episodes in release order and are often watched near Episode IV and V for Rogue One, or separately as standalones.

Viewing recommendations

• If you want to experience the story in-arc order, follow the chronological order listed above. This highlights character and plot development, from the creation of Anakin to the Skywalker saga concluding with Rey and the renewed era.
• If you prefer the original release experience, watch in release order to see how the franchise evolved in filmmaking and scope over time.

Fast facts

• Several new Star Wars films and Disney+ series have been announced or released as part of ongoing expansion, with various release dates still to be confirmed. For the latest on future films and shows, check current studio announcements and major entertainment outlets.
• Star Wars also has ongoing TV projects and animated series that expand the universe beyond the theatrical films, which can be watched in parallel to enhance world-building but aren’t part of the film sequence.

If you’d like, I can tailor a watch order based on your preferences (e.g., strictly theatrical releases, include or exclude animation, or optimize for a single weekend). I can also pull the latest confirmed release dates for upcoming films and shows and present a timeline.