Star Wars Films List in Order by Release Date
The Star Wars saga spans multiple trilogies, standalone films, and animated projects produced by Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, which acquired the franchise from Lucasfilm Ltd. in 2012. The original trilogy began with Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope in 1977, followed by The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The prequel trilogy continued the story with The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith between 1999 and 2005. The sequel trilogy, produced under Disney, added The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker from 2015 to 2019, completing the nine-film Skywalker saga core series.
Standalone films expand the timeline outside the main episodic structure. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) serves as a direct prequel to A New Hope, while Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) explores the early life of Han Solo. The combined global box office for the franchise exceeds 10 billion dollars, with The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi each surpassing 1 billion dollars in worldwide gross. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy oversees all feature film production under the Lucasfilm banner, with distribution handled by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Star Wars Chronological Viewing Order
Chronological order follows the in-universe timeline, beginning with the prequel trilogy. The Phantom Menace introduces young Anakin Skywalker and the fall of the Galactic Republic, followed by Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, which depict the rise of the Galactic Empire and Anakin's transformation into Darth Vader. The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels fill the gap between Episodes III and IV, covering the Clone Wars conflict and early Rebel Alliance operations. Rogue One fits immediately before A New Hope, depicting the theft of the Death Star plans.
The original trilogy follows with A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, chronicling the Rebel Alliance's fight against the Empire and the redemption of Darth Vader. The sequel trilogy begins with The Force Awakens, set thirty years after Return of the Jedi, and continues through The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Animated series such as Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Star Wars: Visions explore post-Order 66 and post-Return of the Jedi eras respectively. The chronological order places animated content alongside live-action films to create a continuous narrative from the fall of the Jedi to the rise of the New Republic.
Production Companies and Franchise Data
Lucasfilm Ltd., founded by George Lucas in 1971, originally produced and distributed the first six Star Wars films through 20th Century Fox. After Disney's acquisition, Lucasfilm became a wholly owned subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, with all subsequent films distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The franchise now includes feature films, animated series, streaming content, and theme park attractions under the Disney+ and Disney Parks brands.