GoKawiilIt's been almost 50 years since George Lucas first introduced us to the Star Wars universe. Since then, we've had theatrical films and a whopping collection of television shows inspired by a galaxy far, far away. All those overlapping storylines make it one of the densest entertainment franchises to follow.
Figuring out the best way to watch everything in order can therefore be somewhat overwhelming for even the most dedicated fan, let alone newcomers still learning the difference between a Jedi Master and a moisture farmer.
With the announcement of the Ryan Gosling-starring Starfighter and the upcoming release of The Mandalorian & Grogu, there's renewed excitement surrounding all things Star Wars, so if you're looking to dip back in or wondering what the big deal is about lightsabers and Wookiees, here's our indispensable guide to help you navigate the best way to experience it all.
While some purists may grumble about Disney's stewardship of the iconic sci-fi saga, the House of Mouse has made binge-watching Star Wars easier than ever. Apart from a few minor exceptions (more on those later), every movie and TV spinoff is available to watch in one place -- on demand via Disney Plus.
So what's the best watch order? Chronological? Release? Or something else entirely? Let's go through the options.
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Star Wars in chronological order (by timeline events)
If you want to experience the story as it unfolds in-universe, then you'll want to follow the saga in an order that charts Anakin's rise through to Rey's journey. The benefit of this option is that you'll get to witness the evolution of characters and the galaxy's political landscape in a linear progress. It's also George Lucas's intended storytelling sequence.
The downside of watching this way, rather than in release order, is that it spoils several plot twists, including one particularly iconic revelation.
The inconsistent quality of some later entries into the series -- let's be honest, we're talking about the prequel movies here -- means it might not provide the most engaging introduction for newcomers to the franchise.
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