How to watch star wars

How to Watch the Star Wars Series

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Eric McClure is an editing fellow at wikiHow where he has been editing, researching, and creating content since 2019. A former educator and poet, his work has appeared in Carcinogenic Poetry, Shot Glass Journal, Prairie Margins, and The Rusty Nail. His digital chapbook, The Internet, was also published in TL;DR Magazine. He was the winner of the Paul Carroll award for outstanding achievement in creative writing in 2014, and he was a featured reader at the Poetry Foundation’s Open Door Reading Series in 2015. Eric holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MEd in secondary education from DePaul University.

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Over the course of the last 50 years, 11 Star Wars films have been released—and that’s only counting the theatrical releases. Whether you’re watching the series for the first time or trying to re-watch the entire series in preparation for The Rise of Skywalker, the question of how you should watch the Star Wars films is a hotly-debated topic. There are 3 popular viewing orders to choose from: sorting by release date, watching in chronological order, or using the Rinster method to rearrange the films and make them easier to understand. However you choose to watch them, remember that there’s no required way to watch these films, and you should choose a method that you think will be the most enjoyable for you!

How to Watch the Star Wars Movies in Order

It’s never been easier to marathon the Star Wars franchise, now that all the movies and TV shows are streaming on Disney+. But in what order should you watch? Here are several options for your Star Wars binge.

You can now watch the entirety of the Star Wars franchise with a Disney+ (Opens in a new window) subscription. This includes the original trilogy, the prequel movies, and the sequel series released over the last few years. You can also watch standalone films like Rogue One and Solo, as well as Disney’s growing collection of Star Wars TV shows, like The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch.

It’s never been easier to marathon the whole series, but before you press play on the first movie, it’s important to decide your preferred viewing order. Do you start with the original trilogy or the prequel movies? What about the standalone films and the television shows? Here is how to watch Star Wars in order, whichever order you choose.

Theatrical Release Order

The most obvious answer is theatrical release order, since this is how the movies were shown and what George Lucas intended. It starts with the original trilogy, then takes us back to the prequel movies, before finishing with Disney’s sequel films.

Following this order, you get the story of Luke overcoming Darth Vader, followed by Vader’s origin story, then see Rey pick up the legacy Luke left behind. This can get a little awkward if you intend to add the standalone Star Wars films to your watch party. Going by release date, Rogue One and Solo would interrupt the sequel trilogy.

If you’re doing a re-watch and are interested in preserving the storyline of the core movies, just skip these two films. They have no impact on the overarching narrative, anyway. First-timers who want the full experience can certainly watch them in release order, or place the standalone films before or after the sequel trilogy.

If you want to go by release order, your marathon should look like this:

Chronological Order

George Lucas had always intended for the original Star Wars film to be a small part of a much larger story. So just because it was the first film to be released doesn’t mean it’s the start of the story. Instead of going with release order, you can also try chronological order based on when the movies are supposed to take place.

This would mean starting with Episode I, II, and III of the prequel trilogy, before moving to IV, V, VI of the original movies, then finishing with VII, VIII, IX from the sequels. If you’re adding the standalone films, you can fit Rogue One and Solo in between Episodes III and IV, and it should work fine.

However, since this order completely ruins the Darth Vader reveal in the original films, it is not advisable that anyone should watch these movies for the first time in this order. Watching Star Wars in chronological order is more of a fun experiment for longtime fans to see the series from a new perspective.

If you were to watch the Star Wars films in chronological order, it would look like this:

Machete Order

You start with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, but then things get wonky. Just after Luke discovers the truth about Darth Vader, turn to the prequels as a flashback sequence. Watch Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith to witness how a young Anakin Skywalker was consumed by the Dark Side, before finishing with Return of the Jedi.

The Machete Order cuts out Phantom Menace entirely, since almost everything in the movie is self-contained and has no effect on the other prequels. Qui-Gon Jinn plays no importance to the greater story. Midi-chlorians are barely mentioned again. You also basically avoid Jar Jar Binks entirely. It isn’t perfect, though, so watch at your own risk.

If you’re not happy about removing Episode I and are also wondering where the sequel movies fit in here, the original creator of the Machete Order has a suggestion. In an update to his original post, Rod Hilton says (Opens in a new window) to watch Episodes VII, VIII, and IX after the other movies. You can then treat Episode I as an anthology, like Rogue One and Solo.

So if you go by the Machete Order, you would watch the movies as follows:

Disney’s Narrative Timeline

You probably assumed that The Clone Wars animated series takes place between Episodes II and III, but what about the others? According to Disney, Star Wars: Rebels is set before the events of A New Hope. The Mandalorian takes place after Return of the Jedi but before the Star Wars: Resistance animated series.

If you happen to be crazy enough to watch every movie and show in chronological order, here’s what that would look like:

The best order to watch every ‘Star Wars’ movie for the ultimate marathon

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«Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker» is finally available to stream on Disney Plus.

All nine films in the Skywalker Saga, «Solo,» and «Rogue One» are available to watch on the streaming service. But what’s the best way to enjoy them?

Depending on who you speak with, you may be told a few different ways to watch the saga. The easiest ways to watch are in release or episode order. That gets thrown out of wack a bit if you want to add «Solo» and «Rogue One.»

If you’re revisiting the franchise after several watches, you may prefer the popular «machete» order. And, if you’re a completist, you’ll want to add the animated «Star Wars» series and movie into the mix.

Here’s the chronological order to watch the «Star Wars» movies:

This order is pretty simple and straight-forward. If you didn’t grow up with «Star Wars» when it first came out in the late ’70s, it’s likely you were introduced to the prequels first, followed by the original saga, and then the newest trilogy.

«Rogue One» takes place right before and leading up to the events of «A New Hope» seamlessly. So those are best watched back-to-back. «Solo,» meanwhile, takes place after «Revenge of the Sith,» but more than a decade before «A New Hope.»

What’s this ‘Machete’ order I’ve heard about? A preferred way to watch the saga.

The chronological order, while easy, isn’t the way a lot of fans enjoy watching the franchise. The machete order begins with the original trilogy of film releases to preserve the surprise reveal about Vader. When Luke finds out Vader is his father in «Empire Strikes Back,» you pause and go back to the prequel trilogy to watch Anakin Skywalker’s rise and fall to the dark side as a flashback.

Fans like to cut out «The Phantom Menace» because of the introduction of Jar Jar Binks. If you’re curious at all about Anakin’s early beginnings or why Luke is such a good pilot, it’s worth a watch. Plus, it has the great «Duel of the Fates» fight scene with Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Darth Maul.

This order also doesn’t include «Rogue One» and «Solo» as it solely focuses on the Skywalker story.

«A New Hope»
«The Empire Strikes Back»
(«The Phantom Menace» if you wish)
«Attack of the Clones»
«Revenge of the Sith»
«Return of the Jedi»
«The Force Awakens»
«The Last Jedi»
«The Rise of Skywalker»

Here’s how we’d recommend watching the ‘Star Wars’ saga with the new films included:

If you wish to preserve the Vader reveal, but still want to watch the series in some sort of chronological order, you can start by watching the two spin-off movies first and then watching the films in the regular «machete» order.

Starting off the franchise with a young Han Solo is the only thing that may feel out of place here since Darth Maul makes an appearance late in the film and you won’t know the significance of the character.

«Solo»
«Rogue One»
«A New Hope»
«The Empire Strikes Back»
(«The Phantom Menace» if you wish)
«Attack of the Clones»
«Revenge of the Sith»
«Return of the Jedi»
«The Force Awakens»
«The Last Jedi»
«The Rise of Skywalker»

What about all of the animated series and shows? When should I watch those?

There are two animated series, «Clone Wars,» and «Rebels.» Both were proceeded by 2008’s animated movie, «Star Wars: The Clone Wars.»

The shows fit pretty neatly within the «Star Wars» universe. The majority of «Clone Wars» takes place between «Attack of the Clones» and «Revenge of the Sith.» The final four-episode arc, which you should watch even if you aren’t caught up with the animated series, takes place adjacent to «Episode III.»

«Rebels» takes place after «Revenge of the Sith,» but before «A New Hope.» If you’re a fan of «Rogue One,» you’ll get a kick out of «Rebels» since it introduces Saw Gerrera. Then there’s Disney Plus’ «The Mandalorian,» which introduced us all to Baby Yoda. That takes place after «Return of the Jedi.»

You can combine them with the machete order from above.

«Solo»
«Star Wars: Rebels» seasons 1-4
«Rogue One»
«A New Hope»
«The Empire Strikes Back»
(«The Phantom Menace» if you wish)
«Attack of the Clones»
«Star Wars: The Clone Wars» (movie)
«Star Wars: Clone Wars» seasons 1-7 through season seven, episode 8
«Revenge of the Sith»
«Clone Wars» season 7, episodes 9 through 12
«Return of the Jedi»
«The Mandalorian»
«The Force Awakens»
«The Last Jedi»
«The Rise of Skywalker»

Honestly, this isn’t the most ideal way to watch because it takes you two movies and an entire show to be introduced to the main franchise characters like Luke Skywalker. Though you’re introduced to fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano, you may be confused about who she is since she’s introduced during «Clone Wars» as Anakin Skywalker’s padawan.

The ultimate chronological viewing order for the ultimate ‘Star Wars’ marathon

With all of the above in mind, here’s how you can watch the entire franchise with «Solo» and the animated series feeling like pretty natural fits.

Can I just watch the films and shows in release order?

You got it. This is how some people prefer to watch the saga anyway. The «Star Wars: Clone Wars» release is broken up across a span of more than a decade. «Star Wars: Rebels» is unexpectedly the most complicated series to note here since it was being released during the same time as films in the new trilogy.

We’ve also included the difficult-to-find «Star Wars» holiday special that only aired once along with two Ewok specials that ABC aired back in the ’80s in the event you have those on hand.

Original Trilogy + forgotten ABC TV specials

Prequel Trilogy and animated series

The new trilogy and spin-off films and series

There’s no right or wrong way to really watch the saga. The animated series are massive undertakings, but will greatly add to your appreciation and understanding of the franchise if you decide to watch.

How To Watch Star Wars? Easy Watch Order Guide

The four-decade-old galaxy far, far away has continuously expanded since its big bang in 1977. With the big basket of eleven films and counting, numerous tv shows – animated and non-animated, and multiple editions of the original trilogy, the Star Wars franchise has never been more chaotic to steer through.

Tons of staunch fans looking to rewatch the entire saga, folks wanting to recommend Star Wars to friends and family, and newbies who do not have the slightest clue, are all looking for an optimum watch order.

First, you should refer to some of the widely accepted ways of binging the entire franchise. I have listed the most preferred watch sequences below.

1. Release Order (Canon Only)

Regarded canon officially by Lucasfilm, it counts the six Star Wars theatrical releases, the Star Wars animated film The Clone Wars, and the TV series Star Wars Rebels. Apart from that, every substance released after April 25, 2014, approved by Lucasfilm, is part of the official Star Wars history.

This order will maintain the historical authenticity for you. There’s nothing like kicking off Star Wars with A New Hope. This might just be the best for newcomers because they will get to experience the saga like everyone else. The Darth Vader secret is not spilled out. Moreover, you will rejoice as the CGI action only gets better with the subsequent movies.

I. Movies

II. TV Series

But, considering Lucas is aware of the copious alterations he made with each trilogy, he has advised starting from Episode I. Because in release order, there can be a lot of jumping around to do.

If you start now, you will be able to finish seeing all the 12 movies in 1 day 2 hrs 45 mins, and the 5 TV Series in 5 days 5 hrs 30 mins. This brings the total watch time to be around 6 days 8 hrs.

2. Complete Release Order (Canon and Non-Canon)

This order consists of movies and TV series, part of the Extended Universe. After Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, the canon was solidified and revised. So some of the material given below is not part of the new canon.

I. Movies

II. TV Series

The total time it should take you to watch the Complete Release Order is around 7 days 6 hours. If broken down individually, Movies will take 1 day 7 hrs, and TV series will take 5 days 22 hrs 42 mins.

3. Chronological Watch Order (Canon Only)

In this, the canonical installments are listed according to the chronological order of events. You’ll find the story very meaningful when you follow the character development gradually. It will be easier for you to track the exact timeline of events.

This is the story that revolves around Anakin Skywalker. From his stubborn childhood, through a committed Jedi knighthood, the redemption of his most scandalous alter ego, Darth Vader, it is quite a journey. This order is the simplest answer and allows no room for confusion. The spin-offs are also well adjusted to provide the safest passage to A New Hope.

Cons is that you will start with the prequels, the first one being The Phantom Menace, which is regarded as the worst Star Wars movie of all time. Also, more importantly, the most prominent secret of Luke’s parentage will be rendered entirely meaningless this way.

Transitioning from a holographic 3D to a wireframe graphic is also not going to be pleasant. The approximate value of the runtime will be 6 days and 8 hours here.

4. Complete Chronological Watch Order (Canon and Non-Canon)

It incorporates some movies and TV series that are not part of the official canon. Yet their plots are convincing when watched chronologically. You will gain more insights into the vast franchise of Star Wars.

Like the Complete Release Order, the total watch time combined will be 7 days and 6 hours.

Now, there are other unorthodox approaches that require your attention. That is, only if you want to take shortcuts. Instead of watching everything, you could stick to some realistic methods, which would save your time yet give you a pretty good base as a Star Wars fan would brag about. These have been explored below.

5. Ernest Rister Order

Want to walk off the beaten path? Then this order by the Star Wars forum poster might just be the best choice. It centers around Luke, and after The Empire Strikes Back, you can jump back to episodes IV, V, and VI to fill in Anakin’s backstory. This will explain the rise of Darth Vader. It also preserves the secret of Luke’s parentage. This way, we can wholly commend the importance of Vader’s absolution.

But, this order does not pay heed to the spin-offs Rogue One and Solo. People tend to watch them after Return of the Jedi. Though according to the chronological timeline, they should ideally be seen before The Empire Strikes Back. Also, to the newcomers, the story might get bewildering this way.

6. The Godfather Order

Fret not; you don’t need to learn about a new watch order here. This one is a carbon copy of the Ernest Rister order.

It just came up in 2005 when Matt Zoller Seitz (an American film critic) was discussing with his wife the best order in which they had to show Star Wars movies to their kids. Its name is based on the famous gangster movie Godfather Part II, which flashes back and forth between the early life & career of Vito Corleone in 1920s NYC and his son Michael in 1959.

7. The Machete Order

Lucas will likely be upset with you if you follow this one. Nevertheless, it is a boon for prequel haters. And if we’re talking about the prequel The Phantom Menace, it was never so acclaimed in the first place. In fact, it’s the least favorite among fans.

Star Wars fan Rod Hilton suggested this back in 2011. It removes The Phantom Menace altogether. So no Jar Jar Binks, and no querulous version of Anakin as a kid who is unaware that one day, he is going to become the most notorious villain of the galaxy.

One would certainly be delighted to skip the weird part where a grown-up Padme meets her future husband, who is still a nine-year-old kid. Also, the confusion between Amidala and Padme is resolved.

Sadly, it includes all the cons of the Rister Order. If you ask me, omitting The Phantom Menace is a bit severe. The Duel Of The Fates is so enticing to watch; it is definitely one of the saga’s best saber fights. This installment is also the most child-friendly the franchise will ever get.

If you skip The Phantom Menace, you will never get to know about hideous Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn’s sacrifice, midi-chlorians (microscopic, intelligent life forms), and podracing. Palpatine’s ascension from Chancellor to Emperor in the movie would evoke your interest in the most wicked schemer of the franchise.

Furthermore, you would never be enlightened with the prophecy of Anakin being the one who would bring balance to the Force. You would never know Anakin being enslaved or why his mother was sold.

8. Flashback Order

Voila! You have space to fit in the spin-offs perfectly here now. They will lay a solid foundation for The Empire Strikes Back and give meaningful ambiance to A New Hope.

And like the Rister Order, the shocking revelation about Vader is kept intact. It increases master Yoda’s role and enables Vader’s redemption to be more reasonable. Importantly, it refines Luke’s journey, giving more credibility to his actions in The Last Jedi.

Warning: For the uninitiated, the story cannot get more tangled than this. Jumping forth and back so much is only suitable for those who have a passing knowledge about Star Wars.

9. Time Machine Order

“What in the Roman Numeric nonsense is this?” is what you must be wondering. Well, this is the time machine order for those fanatics who have ample time available.

*If you possess something like the Despecialized Editions of Star Wars movies, this is possible. These editions are high-definition reconstructions of original movies. The original shots are meticulously reinstated using various sources ranging from VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, and BluRay to 35mm print scans.

It provides you with the most primitive viewer experience as seen on the first day of the theatrical release of a particular movie.

Figuratively speaking, this order would require time travel back to May 25, 1977, to watch A New Hope’s first premiere. Next, you will need to see theatrical cuts of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Some of the scenes will be missing. After this, you proceed with the Episodes I, II, and III giving the prequels weightage. Next, you hop back to the original trilogy (IV, V, VI) again.

This time, you watch it thoroughly, with all the Special Edition tweaks, modifications, and new inclusions. Only then can you move on with the new sequel trilogy, starting with The Force Awakens.

You can now truly cherish how the four-decade-old Star Wars saga is a force to be reckoned with.

10. Ultimate Star Wars Watch Order

This chronological order suggestion is somewhat complex. It has been made taking all Lego Star Wars movies, spin-off tv shows, and specials (released and upcoming) into consideration. Only if you have a plethora of time on your hands should you go for it.

*Sigh! Yes, I know it’s a lot, and you might be feeling a tad bit fuzzy right now. But if you want to explore the intergalactic franchise in and out, this is the best arrangement one could ask for. If you are zealous and have a little over one week to spare, I think you should go for it!

11. Where to Watch

The entire Star Wars franchise is present on Disney+. Both canon and non-canon titles (movies and TV series) are present on a single platform, thus making your viewing experience hassle-free.

A few alternate platforms include Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and YouTube if you want to rent or buy the titles instead of subscribing to Disney+.

12. Conclusion

Binging Star Wars requires an enormous time commitment. Of all the discussions in Star Wars fandom, the “correct” order to watch the movies and series is one of the most controversial. Some famous ways include Ernest Rister Order, Machete Order, Flashback Order, etc.

Compelling arguments can be made in favor of all types. And while the Ultimate Star Wars Watch Order is lucrative, I am inclined more towards the original complete release date order. Reason? It is feasible and not exhausting.

Also, in chronological order, one starts with The Phantom Menace, which is regarded as the least favorite installment. That order also spoils some of the biggest twists, such as revealing the identity of Luke’s father beforehand.

In the release order, the narrative begins midway but eventually comes full circle. The story unfolds logically and gradually.

If you start with A New Hope, you will realize that a lot has occurred before that set the course of events in this movie. This will arouse your curiosity, and you will be eager to find out what’s happened and what’s going to happen.

13. About Star Wars

Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon.

It has three trilogies at its core – Original, Prequel, and Sequel, spread across five decades and interspersed with at least a dozen spin-off series and films.

Created by George Lucas and his Lucasfilm, the franchise is currently under the Disney umbrella. All the Star Wars films and shows are now available to binge on Disney+ streaming service.

What’s the Best Order to Watch Star Wars Movies for the First Time?

Here are some watch-order options for your next Star Wars binge.

The popularity of Baby Yoda is something of a double-edged lightsaber. On the one hand, he is introducing a new generation of kids to the world of Star Wars. On the other, The Mandalorian is a minuscule part of the entire saga. Watching the Star Wars movies in order is a must for kids who love Baby Yoda, but what order to watch Star Wars in is a matter contested as hotly as whether Han shot first. Also, the order of watching the Star Wars TV shows is an entirely separate topic from the order to watch the movies. So, let’s talk about how to watch Star Wars movies!

Right now, all of the Star Wars movies — including Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker — are streaming on Disney+. This is the first time since you could buy a VHS boxed-set in 1996, every single Star Wars movie will be available to watch in the same spot. So, now that you can binge all of Star Wars on Disney+ should you watch from Episode I: The Phantom Menace, straight through Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker? Does it even matter which order you watch the Star Wars movies at all; specifically with kids?

For the purposes of this piece, we’re gonna focus just on the movies, meaning we’ll consider The Mandalorian its own thing, and just sort of watch it whenever you want. (Just remember it happens after Return of the Jedi, but before The Force Awakens, cool? Baby Yoda is not actually Yoda, his name is Grogu! ) We’re also not going to include non-canon stuff. This means those Ewok movies are out. (Yeah, I received a lot of emails from people mad we didn’t include the Ewok movies. Consider this parenthetical my response. You also might want to avoid the Ewok movies with kids altogether, they’re actually super depressing.)

Is watching the classic trilogy before the prequels the way to go? And what about the “Star Wars Stories” Solo and Rogue One? These are age-old questions, but luckily we’ve tackled them in great detail (more than once!). We’ve come up with four different logical ways you can watch the Star Wars movies for the first time.

Mild spoilers for all of the Star Wars movies ahead.

Some of these methods will preserve certain plot twists, others will dovetail with how film history really happened. And yes, there is one strategy where you can just start with the whole saga with the origin story of a smuggler named Han Solo. It sounds crazy, but it just might work. And for now, don’t trust that Disney+ autoplay! It’s not putting the Skywalker saga in any kind of order we can endorse!

Option 1: Release Order

This is perhaps the easiest way to watch Star Wars with your kids if only because it will likely mirror your own experience with the movies. Plus, watching the movies in release order preserves the biggest twist of the entire saga: that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father. Having said that, it’s very possible savvy kids everywhere are spoiled on this fact even without having seen Star Wars for one minute if only because everyone knows that Vader is Luke’s father. There are actually many more hours of film on pre-Vader Anakin than there are on Vader himself.

But, watching the movies in release order is good for one other reason: New Star Wars movies are still coming out and will presumably continue to do so for a long, long time. So, if you start watching the movies in release order now, you don’t have to course-correct when a whole new trilogy comes out a few years from now.

The release order would go like this:

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), The Force Awakens (2015), Rogue One (2016), The Last Jedi (2017), and Solo (2018) and then, The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Option 2: Chronological Order

Admittedly, this might the hardest way to go, if only because so many adults have a hard time accepting that the Star Wars prequels are the beginning of the saga. That said, Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace is one of the most kid-friendly movies in this messy and frightening franchise, and it also features a child as the primary protagonist. The disadvantage of watching the movies this way is that if you include the most recent prequels — Rogue One and Solo — you’ll be five movies deep before you even get to Luke Skywalker, which seems crazy. Still, on some level, watching the movies this way is the most honest, since, for better or worse, this technically depicts the fictional events in a galaxy far, far away in the order in which they happened.

So, chronological order would be:

The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, Solo, Rogue One, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi … and then, The Rise of Skywalker.

Option 3: “Disney Fist” Chronological Order, with Episodes I–III a flashback for The Empire Strikes Back

Here’s where things get weird. Because there’s so much murder in Revenge of the Sith and because the newer prequels (Rogue One and Solo) are generally better than the George Lucas ones, you could watch the saga in pseudo-chronological order, but cheat by saving the Lucas prequels until later, turning them into the backstory for The Empire Strikes Back. This concept appeared online in 2011 and is generally known as the “machete order.”

In the machete order, you watch A New Hope, then The Empire Strikes Back, and then when you find out Darth Vader is Luke’s father, you go back and watch Episodes I, II, and III to understand how all that happened. Then, after you finish the horrific terribleness of Revenge of the Sith, you watch Return of the Jedi where Anakin becomes good again. Will watching Hayden Christensen on a killing spree in one movie, and then watching his happy ghost grin at Luke in the next movie work emotionally? Who knows! It’s an experiment!

But, my twist on the machete order is to start with the newer prequels, not A New Hope. That means you’ll do Solo first, then Rogue One, and then the classic first film, A New Hope. The cool thing about this approach is that seeing Solo and Rogue One before A New Hope can make the Empire seem really dangerous, but won’t ruin any of the surprises of who Darth Vader really is or what he’s all about. This order also suddenly posits the entire saga to be about Han Solo, not Luke Skywalker. Which, considering that the newer movies are about Han’s family, not Luke’s, that kind of makes sense.

Here’s how the modified chronological, complete with machete order flashback, shakes out:

Solo, Rogue One, A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Prequel Break– Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and then, The Rise of Skywalker.

Option 4: Kid’s Choice

To be honest, it actually might not matter which order you watch these movies in with your kid and that’s because despite being really, really complicated as a film series, each individual installment is actually easy to understand. We’re not talking about avant-garde cinema here. It’s only when you try to understand the whole story that things get confusing. Basically, thinking about Star Wars is harder than watching a Star Wars movie. In other words, you could watch most of these movies with the sound off and understand, just from the visuals, generally speaking, what was going on. Plus, a lot of kids who grew up in the ’80s or ’90s (like most contemporary dads with young kids!) didn’t watch the movies in any correct order anyway, and we all managed to “get” what the movies are about.

So, let go of your desires and needs to have a perfect Star Wars viewing experience with your kid, and just let the will of the Force (your kid) decide which way the story will go. As Yoda once said, “truly wonderful, the mind of a child is!”

And here’s our complete guide to the streaming service.