{"id":421611,"date":"2026-05-11T02:13:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T02:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/421611\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T02:13:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T02:13:27","slug":"how-to-watch-every-star-wars-movie-tv-show-in-timeline-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/421611\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Watch Every Star Wars Movie & TV Show in Timeline Order"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Star Wars<\/a> galaxy is always growing, and we\u2019re less than two weeks away from the next major film release \u2013 The Mandalorian and Grogu. But where does this film fit into the timeline? What order should you watch George Lucas\u2019 movies in, let alone the staggering number of tie-in TV shows (both live-action and animated)?<\/p>\n

Some viewers prefer to watch Star Wars in release order. That has certain advantages; it means you get to the saga as it took shape, and you can spot the themes and ideas developing. But watching Star Wars in timeline order is also incredibly rewarding, because you can join the narrative threads much more easily. This timeline includes every canon Star Wars TV show and movie released to date (plus The Mandalorian and Grogu). There is one exception: the anthology Tales shows, mainly set during the Clone Wars or the Dark Times of the Empire\u2019s reign. These are best watched after Revenge of the Sith.<\/p>\n

Note: Events in Star Wars are typically dated according to their relationship with A New Hope, the first Star Wars movie. You either have \u201cBBY\u201d (Before Battle of Yavin) or \u201cABY\u201d (After Battle of Yavin).<\/p>\n

28. Young Jedi Adventures (232 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Jedi<\/p>\n

Young Jedi Adventures may be aimed at kids, but it\u2019s a tremendous two-season series that explores the High Republic Era<\/a>. This was the golden age of the Jedi and the Republic, a time when the light side shone across a dark galaxy. The stories interweave subtly with Lucasfilm Publishing\u2019s phenomenal Star Wars: The High Republic initiative.<\/p>\n

27. The Acolyte (132 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Manny<\/p>\n

Leslye Headland\u2019s The Acolyte is set 100 years before the Skywalker saga, at the tail-end of the High Republic. It shows a Jedi Order already struggling against their own dark side, let alone the rising threat of the Sith. The Acolyte was cancelled after its first season<\/a>, so there are currently a lot of loose threads. Star Wars will hopefully resolve them all in some form.<\/p>\n

26. The Phantom Menace (32 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Qui-Gon<\/p>\n

The Skywalker saga officially begins with The Phantom Menace, in which rogue Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn stumbles upon the young Anakin Skywalker. Unknown to the Jedi, the fate of the Republic is already sealed in this movie; corrupt politician Sheev Palpatine manipulates his way into the position of Chancellor. The threat of the Sith once again looms over the galaxy, as Darth Maul emerges from the shadows after the Trade Federation attack Naboo.<\/p>\n

25. Attack of the Clones (22 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Anakin,<\/p>\n

The Sith engineer the beginning of a galactic conflict, the Clone Wars, which will ultimately lead to the Republic\u2019s fall. Meanwhile, Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker begins an ill-advised romance with senator Padm\u00e9\u00a0Amidala, even as he wrestles with other attachments.<\/p>\n

24. The Clone Wars (22 BBY \u2013 19 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Skywalker saga avoids most of the Clone Wars, focusing only on their beginning and ending. Lucas eventually returned to the conflict in animated form, with a tremendous seven-season series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Disney initially cancelled The Clone Wars<\/a> before its resolution, but the final season released on Disney+ in 2020. The final four episodes are concurrent with Revenge of the Sith.<\/p>\n

23. Revenge of the Sith (19 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The turning point of the entire Skywalker saga, as the Clone Wars end with a Sith victory and the rise of the Empire. Revenge of the Sith is seen as the crown of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, an epic that explores what it takes to make a Jedi fall. The novelization, by Matt Stover, is one of the best Star Wars books<\/a> ever written.<\/p>\n

22. Star Wars: The Bad Batch (19 BBY \u2013 17 BBY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Spinning straight out of The Clone Wars Season 7 and Revenge of the Sith, The Bad Batch is a three-season masterpiece starring Clone Force 99 \u2013 a group of mutant clones who go rogue during the Dark Times of the Empire\u2019s reign. This series picks up many of the different plots from The Clone Wars, while also foreshadowing elements of the sequel trilogy. Plus, there are phenomenal Easter eggs to the old Star Wars Expanded Universe, especially in the final season.<\/p>\n

21. Maul \u2013 Shadow Lord (18 BBY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s quite hard to figure out a precise date for Maul \u2013 Shadow Lord, the latest Star Wars animated TV show. This picks up during the Dark Times of the Empire\u2019s reign, with Darth Maul seeking an apprentice to help him get revenge on Palpatine \u2013 and ultimately coming blade-to-blade with the Emperor\u2019s new apprentice. Stormtrooper designs suggest this probably happens around 18 BBY, possibly at the same time as the end of The Bad Batch Season 2.<\/p>\n

20. Solo: A Star Wars Story (10 BBY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"Alden<\/p>\n

Set roughly a decade before A New Hope, Solo: A Star Wars Story is one of Lucasfilm\u2019s two \u201canthology\u201d projects. It\u2019s the origin story of Han Solo, the iconic smuggler played by Harrison Ford in the Skywalker saga, but with Alden Ehrenreich playing the young Han. The film also ties in with Maul\u2019s criminal enterprises.<\/p>\n

19. Obi-Wan Kenobi (9 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Revenge of the Sith ended with Obi-Wan Kenobi in self-imposed exile on the desert planet Tatooine. The Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ TV show picks up 10 years later, when Obi-Wan is forced out into the wider galaxy. Featuring the return of prequel stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, it\u2019s a genuine Star Wars event.<\/p>\n

18. Andor Season 1 (5 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Stellan<\/p>\n

Created by Tony Gilroy, Andor is a popular and critically-acclaimed masterpiece exploring what it\u2019s like to resist the Empire at the ground level. Season 1 is the origin story of Diego Luna\u2019s Cassian Andor, an important Rebel agent destined to change the fate of the galaxy. This first season is set five years before the Battle of Yavin, but Season 2 took a different approach.<\/p>\n

17. Andor Season 2 (4 BBY \u2013 1 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Cassian<\/p>\n

Andor Season 2 is split into several chunks, each set a year later in the Star Wars timeline. Together, they tell the story of how the Rebel Alliance became a force to be reckoned with, shining a light on Cassian Andor\u2019s role in particular. It runs concurrently with Star Wars Rebels, and some events spin out into that animated show.<\/p>\n

16. Star Wars Rebels (3 BBY \u2013 1 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Kanan<\/p>\n

A spiritual sequel to The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels tells the story of a single rebel cell based on Lothal \u2013 and the crucial part they play as the Rebel Alliance takes shape. The series establishes a strong legacy for the Jedi during this era, bringing back Anakin Skywalker\u2019s apprentice Ahsoka Tano for an encounter with Darth Vader, and adds crucial new elements of Force mythology to the franchise.<\/p>\n

15. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (1 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"Felicity<\/p>\n

Set immediately before the events of A New Hope, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is one of Disney\u2019s best Star Wars movies. It focuses on Felicity Jones\u2019 Jyn Erso, an unlikely recruit to the Rebel Alliance who will lead a team to recover the Death Star plans. The dramatic finale features one of Darth Vader\u2019s most iconic scenes.<\/p>\n

14. A New Hope (0 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The film that started it all, originally titled \u201cStar Wars\u201d but retitled when Lucas began to build it out into a franchise. This is it: the moment when Mark Hamill\u2019s Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher\u2019s Leia Organa, and Harrison Ford\u2019s Han Solo unite to take on the Empire. A classic everyman hero story, this is reframed by the wider Star Wars timeline.<\/p>\n

13. The Empire Strikes Back (3 ABY)<\/p>\n

\"Darth<\/p>\n

The Galactic Civil War continues in The Empire Strikes Back, which features one of the greatest cinematic twists in the history of cinema. If A New Hope put Star Wars on the map, The Empire Strikes Back transformed it into one of the most enduring franchises of all time. It deepens the galaxy\u2019s lore, establishing so much that would be explored over the next few decades.<\/p>\n

12. Return of the Jedi (4 BBY)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Star Wars original trilogy closes with Return of the Jedi, featuring a wonderful redemption twist that ties up the Chosen One<\/a>\u2018s arc. Emperor Palpatine emerges from the shadows once again, revealing his true nature as he tries to seduce Luke Skywalker to the dark side. It\u2019s the moment when the fate of the galaxy was decided.<\/p>\n

11. The Mandalorian Seasons 1 & 2 (9 ABY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Premiering alongside the launch of Disney+ in 2019, The Mandalorian Season 1 introduces viewers to Pedro Pascal\u2019s Din Djarin and his delightful ward, Grogu. The first two seasons are epic, building to a climax in which the Imperial Remnant<\/a> proves just how dangerous it truly is \u2013 only for the show\u2019s heroes to get unexpected help. The timeline is a little certain for this and the shows that follow; they\u2019re all part of the so-called \u201cMandoverse,\u201d and Lucasfilm execs are unclear over how much time passes between seasons and shows.<\/p>\n

10. The Book of Boba Fett (9 ABY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"Boba<\/p>\n

Starring Temuera Morrison as the former bounty hunter Boba Fett, The Book of Boba Fett reshapes the character\u2019s personal world. It\u2019s largely set on Tatooine, exploring the various criminal empires there, but also features important roles for Din Djarin and Grogu. This is an important part of the Mandoverse, because The Mandalorian Season 3 makes no sense without it.<\/p>\n

9. The Mandalorian Season 3 (9 ABY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Mandalorian Season 3 continues Din Djarin\u2019s story, as he seeks redemption in the Waters of Mandalore and ultimately leads his people back to their ancestral homeworld. The Mandalorian Season 3 deepens the threat of the Imperial Remnant, finally explaining why they wanted Grogu in the first place. It\u2019s essentially about wrapping up the entire first arc, while several elements serve as setup for The Mandalorian and Grogu.<\/p>\n

8. Ahsoka Season 1 (9 BBY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"STAR<\/p>\n

Ahsoka Season 1 stars Rosario Dawson as the live-action Ahsoka Tano, a role she previously played in The Mandalorian Season 2. The main focus lies on the Imperial Remnant, and a desperate attempt to rescue Grand Admiral Thrawn<\/a> \u2013 a strategist even Palpatine respected \u2013 from a distant galaxy. All the evidence suggests this too will run on into The Mandalorian and Grogu, while Ahsoka Season 2 is expected to air later this year.<\/p>\n

7. Skeleton Crew (9 ABY approx.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A delightful standalone Star Wars TV series, Skeleton Crew stars a group of kids who escape their isolated homeworld and find themselves caught up in the chaos of the Star Wars galaxy. Its placement on this timeline should be seen as provisional, because nothing about it is particularly fixed. Hopefully, Lucasfilm will clarify the timeline.<\/p>\n

6. The Mandalorian and Grogu (9 ABY approx.)<\/p>\n

\t\t\tPlay video<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Play\"\/<\/p>\n

The next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu brings the Mandoverse to the big screen. Lucasfilm has been careful to stress that no \u201chomework\u201d is needed to appreciate the film, but it nonetheless builds out of everything else we\u2019ve seen in the Mandoverse since 2019. After seven years, Star Wars is back in theaters.<\/p>\n

5. Resistance Season 1 (34 ABY)<\/p>\n

\"Poster<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a massive gap between the original trilogy and the sequels, only partly filled by the Mandoverse. Nearing the sequel trilogy, though, there\u2019s Resistance Season 1; an animated show exploring the rise of the First Order, the newest incarnation of the Empire. The final episodes tie in to The Force Awakens.<\/p>\n

4. The Force Awakens (34 ABY)<\/p>\n

\"Rey<\/p>\n

Daisy Ridley makes her debut as Rey in The Force Awakens, one of the highest-grossing films of all time. This introduces viewers to a very different galaxy, where the dark side has again risen to dominance and there\u2019s a new superweapon in play. Steeped in nostalgia for the original trilogy, The Force Awakens serves as the foundation for everything that follows.<\/p>\n

3. The Last Jedi (34 ABY)<\/p>\n

\"Luke<\/p>\n

Spinning straight out of the events of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi tells the story of Rey\u2019s training under Luke Skywalker \u2013 even as the First Order comes closer than ever to wiping out the Resistance. A controversial film, this is deeply divisive; some see it as the best Star Wars movie ever made, while others criticize it heavily.<\/p>\n

2. Resistance Season 2 (34 ABY)<\/p>\n

\"Kylo<\/p>\n

Resistance Season 2 kicks off after the events of The Rise of Skywalker and The Last Jedi. It continues to tell the story of a single Resistance cell, struggling to survive in a galaxy now dominated by the First Order. Along the way, there are some unexpected Sith elements.<\/p>\n

1. The Rise of Skywalker (35 ABY)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Finally, The Rise of Skywalker brings an end to the entire Skywalker saga. Ridley\u2019s Rey and Adam Driver\u2019s Kylo Ren face off against a resurrected Palpatine, the true architect of the First Order. Star Wars has been reluctant to move beyond this point in the timeline, but all that will change next year, with Starfighter \u2013 the first film set after the sequel trilogy.<\/p>\n

What do you think? Leave a comment below and\u00a0join the conversation now in the\u00a0ComicBook Forum<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Star Wars galaxy is always growing, and we\u2019re less than two weeks away from the next major…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":421612,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[156,66294,409,111,139,69,1797],"class_list":["post-421611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-entertainment","tag-list-feature","tag-movies","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-star-wars"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=421611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/421612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=421611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=421611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=421611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}