Complete List of Every Star Wars Movie in Release Order
The Skywalker saga consists of nine main episodic films produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures since 2015. The release order begins with Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and continues through Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. In between, the franchise expanded with spin-off films including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story, both also produced by Lucasfilm and released under the Walt Disney banner. As of the latest public data, the total global box office for the Skywalker saga exceeds 10 billion USD combined across theatrical runs, with individual titles tracked by industry sources such as Box Office Mojo and The Numbers, which aggregate studio-reported figures and international market data Box Office Mojo.
Each film in the release sequence carries a distinct production timeline, with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy overseeing the franchise after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012. The sequel trilogy, consisting of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, was produced with budgets ranging from approximately 200 million to 300 million USD per film, according to publicly available studio filings and entertainment trade reports Forbes. The prequel trilogy, released between 1999 and 2005, was produced by Lucasfilm under the original distribution deal with 20th Century Fox before Disney's acquisition of the studio and its entire film library in 2012.
Star Wars Movies in Chronological Story Order
Viewing the saga by in-universe chronology places the prequel trilogy first, beginning with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, followed by Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. The animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, produced by Lucasfilm Animation and released in 2008, fits within this timeline as an intermediate story bridging the prequel and original trilogies. The original trilogy follows, with Episode IV – A New Hope, Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, and the sequel trilogy concludes the saga with Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, and Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.
Standalone films occupy specific points in the timeline, with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story set immediately before Episode IV, depicting the theft of the Death Star plans. Solo: A Star Wars Story covers the early life of Han Solo and takes place between Episodes III and IV. The chronological viewing order is frequently referenced by fan guides and streaming platforms, including Disney+, which hosts the full Skywalker saga and related content in both release and story sequences Disney+. This structure allows viewers to experience the complete narrative arc from the rise of the Galactic Republic through the fall of the Empire and the emergence of the First Order.
Key Facts, Figures, and Franchise Data
The Star Wars franchise is one of the highest-grossing media IPs in history, with total lifetime revenue across films, merchandise, licensing, and streaming exceeding 70 billion USD by industry estimates. The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm in late 2012 for approximately 4.06 billion USD, a transaction reported in SEC filings and covered by financial news outlets SEC. Under Disney, Lucasfilm has continued to produce new Star Wars content, including the television series The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka, all released on Disney+ and integrated into the broader Star Wars timeline.