So, you want to get into Star Wars, but not sure how to start? Well, I can help you because you certainly have options. I’m also going to include movies and shows (excluding Lego Star Wars shows) because you’re going to want to catch Ashoka’s timeline which only takes place during shows.
Chronological Order
Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
The Clone Wars (2008-2014)
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Solo (2018)
Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)
Rogue One (2016)
Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)
The Mandalorian (2019-present)
Star Wars: Resistance ( 2018 to present)
Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2016)
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
This is the obvious choice because you get a good feel for the plot of the franchise. This is my recommended choice if you’re new to Star Wars for exactly that reason: you can finally understand the whole plot. If you grew up seeing bits and pieces of Star Wars, then this is the order for you. This is also the perfect order to bridge the gap between trilogies with Rogue One (2016).
However, this order does start slow with the less popular Episode I: The Phantom Menace and prematurely reveals the biggest plot twist of the original trilogy. I’m also going to forewarn you that some of the shows are targeted for kids, but they contain great character arcs that come through in other movies and shows.
Machete Order 2.0
Rogue One (2016)
Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
The Clone Wars (2008-2014)
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Solo (2018)
Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)
The Mandalorian (2019-present)
Star Wars: Resistance ( 2018 to present)
Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2016)
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The original Machete order was created online in 2011 to preserve the big spoiler and skip over Episode I: The Phantom Menace and only includes the movies. So I made this Machete order 2.0, which includes the new movies, shows, and Episode I. Machete order 2.0 gives us the great transition from the end of Rogue One (2016) to Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) right off the bat. It also preserves the big spoiler of Episode V and then we get Anakin’s story arc right before we finish the original trilogy.
I am glad to say that this is an incomplete list as we’re waiting for the release of The Book of Boba Fett at the end of this year. Also soon in the works are the upcoming shows Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ashoka, Rangers of the New Republic, Andor, the Bad Batch, Visions, Lando, the Acolyte, and A Droid’s Story. Two new movies were announced as well: Rogue Squadron and an untitled film directed by Taika Waititi.