May the 4th be with you: How to watch 'Star Wars' in chronological order

4th May 2023 | Source: Yahoo

This is the way... to celebrate Star Wars Day! Refresh your memory on the Star Wars timeline with a movie marathon this May the 4th.

May the force — fourth be with you! May 4, otherwise known as Star Wars Day, is just a few days away, and what better way to celebrate than with a Star Wars movie (and show) marathon? A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, the Star Wars universe was just a few movies wide. These days, it is an ever-expanding franchise which includes prequel films like Solo, spinoffs such as Andor and popular streaming series like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.

With over 20 movies and shows making up the SWCU (Star Wars Cinematic Universe), plus the recently announced upcoming film trilogy following Daisy Ridley’s Rey, you practically need Jedi training to keep track of the Star Wars timeline. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s when (and where) to watch every chapter of Star Wars, from A New Hope to The Rise of Skywalker.

How to watch Star Wars in chronological order

Much like with the MCU in recent years, the release order of Star Wars content doesn't always align with where a movie or show falls on the story's timeline. So while the original Star Wars trilogy, starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, was released in 1977, there are currently multiple shows and movies predating the events of Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope.

The entire ‘Star Wars’ franchise is currently available to stream on Disney+. A basic, ad-supported subscription to the platform starts at $8 per month, or you can go ad-free for $11 per month. You can also bundle ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu for $10 monthly, or get the Disney Bundle Trio Basic, which includes ESPN+, starting at $13 per month.

Bonus:

Star Wars: Visions (timeline adjacent)

Every Star Wars movie (and show) in release order:

Want to keep things simple this Star Wars day? Here's the watch order that OG fans will probably remember best, with every title arranged in release order.

Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005)
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)
Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)
Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
Star Wars: Resistance (2018-2019)
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The Mandalorian (2019-Present)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021-Present)
Star Wars: Visions (2021-Present)
The Book of Boba Fett (2021)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
Andor (2022)

Coming soon:

Young Jedi Adventures (May 4, 2023)
Ahsoka (August, 2023)
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2023)

Where does Ahsoka fall on the Star Wars timeline?

The Ahsoka series, which is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in August 2023, takes place on a similar timeline to that of The Mandalorian, though it is currently unclear if Ahsoka and The Mandalorian Season 3 take place concurrently.

The new series stars Rosario Dawson as the titular formerly-animated ex-Jedi Padawan. Ahsoka also sees the live-action debut of several other characters originally from the animated Rebels series, including Sabine, Hera Syndulla and Grand Admiral Thrawn.

When does the new Star Wars trilogy come out?

At Star Wars Celebration 2023 in April it was announced that a new Star Wars trilogy is coming to the big screen… eventually. Three films following Daisy Ridley’s Rey are currently in the works. Ridley will reprise her role in an all-new movie set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker — an era that Lucasfilm has officially dubbed the New Jedi Order.

While there’s currently no official script or release date for the first of the three new Star Wars films, we do know that the film follows Rey heading up a new Jedi Academy and is set to be directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

What other Star Wars shows are coming out soon?

Not enough Star Wars action for you? Have no fear! May the 4th will also feature the premiere of a new Disney Junior show Young Jedi Adventures and the second season of Star Wars: Visions. A collaborative effort between seven Japanese animation studios, the first season of Visions reimagined the world of Star Wars through nine animated shorts scattered across the timeline. While the quirky series is not-quite-canon, it certainly still makes for a fun watch to celebrate Star Wars Day.

Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 premieres May 4, 2023, exclusively on Disney+.