All 11 ‘Star Wars’ Movies Ranked, Plus Where to Watch Them

In the land of cinema, there have been very few film franchises able to stand the test of time as well as Star Wars. The first six films were created by George Lucas, but today the franchise is operated entirely by Disney. The first film (A New Hope) was released in 1977 and things are still going strong with multiple spin-off series airing today on Disney+ and new movies in development.

You can catch up on all 11 Star Wars on Disney+. 

For now, though, the focus is on the 11 Star Wars movies, ranked from best to worst. Keep scrolling to find out our favorites — and see if you agree!

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11. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) 

In the first of the Star Wars prequels, a young Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) embarks on adventures across the galaxy under the tutelage of Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). Soon, they cross paths with a young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) and Princess Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) on their way to restore the trade routes to the planet Naboo. This film serves as the first introduction to the rise of Darth Vader. 

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10. Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019): Star Wars movies ranked

In the final installment of the most recent trilogy, viewers are shocked to learn that Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) did not die at the hands of Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi and is, in fact, alive and in hiding. The rebels set out to find him, while Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac) team up with the Resistance to stop the First Order. Elsewhere, Rey (Daisy Ridley) prepares for her final battle with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).  

9. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

In this spin-off prequel film, discover what truly happened the first time Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) met Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) and how Han Solo came into possession of the Millennium Falcon. It has action and heart and answers questions Star Wars fans have been asking for decades. Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Paul Bettany, and Jon Favreau also appear. 

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8. Star Wars: Episode II -Attack of the Clones (2002): Star Wars movies ranked

Set 10 years after The Phantom Menace, the second prequel film follows a much older Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) as he reunites with Senator Padmé Amidala (Portman). Elsewhere, Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) works to defeat a secret army of clones created to battle the Jedi. All these actions lead to the beginning of the Clone Wars and perhaps the end of the Republic. 

7. Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) 

After finding the long-lost Jedi Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Rey (Ridley) insists that he train her in the way of The Force, but her connection with Kylo Ren (Driver) might make that difficult. Planets away, rebellion members Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Finn (Boyega), Poe (Issac), Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) and Vice-Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) prepare to battle the First Order. This was the last film Carrie Fisher worked on before her unfortunate death in 2016. 

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6. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977): Star Wars movies ranked

A New Hope marked the start of an era. It was the first Star Wars film ever to be released and introduced audiences to iconic characters like Darth Vader (David Prowse), Princess Leia (Fisher), Luke Skywalker (Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and the older version of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness). The plot follows Luke Skywalker as he embarks on a journey to save Princess Leia from the Vader, but he can’t do it alone. He will need to the help of Han Solo, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels). It is a heartwarming story filled with action and epic battles. 

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5. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005): Star Wars movies ranked

Learn exactly how Darth Vader came to be in this battle-filled film that marked the end of the prequels. After rescuing Chancellor Palpatine (McDiarmid) from General Grievous (Matthew Wood), Anakin Skywalker (Christensen) begins to form a bond with him, leading everyone in the senate to become worried that Anakin might soon embrace the dark side of The Force. It ends with a must-see battle between him and Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) and the birth of Luke and Leia Skywalker, seamlessly leading into the events of New Hope. 

4. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983): Star Wars movies ranked

After rescuing Han Solo (Ford) from carbonite and Jabba the Hutt’s clutches, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) must now face his biggest battle yet: destroying the second Death Star and trying to convince Darth Vader to come back from the dark side of The Force. It was the epic finale fans of the original trilogy had been waiting for, and it left viewers feeling both happy about the way it ended, but sad that it was over. 

3. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) 

Thirty-two years after Return of The Jedi, Han Solo (Ford), Luke Skywalker (Hamill), and Princess Leia (Fisher) appear once again, this time with the help of Rey (Ripley), Finn (Boyega), and Poe (Issac) to try and defeat both Kylo Ren (Driver) and The First Order. Filled with nostalgia, new allies and a shocking death at the end, this film was everything long-time fans of the franchise had been waiting for. 

You can watch this installment of Star Wars on Disney+.

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2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) 

In the first spin-off movie, the Empire’s lead engineer, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), begins to design The Death Star. Elsewhere, his daughter, Jyn (Felicity Jones), joins forces with spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to steal the plans of the Death Star and stop it from being created. This film serves as a setup for A New Hope. 

1. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 

Coming in at number one is none other than the much-awaited sequel to A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back. Despite their previous success, Han Solo (Ford), Luke (Hamill), and Princess Leia’s (Fisher) troubles are far from over. Luke heads off to Dagobah to try to find Yoda (Frank Oz) and be taught the ways of The Force. Meanwhile, Leia and Han Solo embark on a journey across the galaxy in The Millennium Falcon to try and escape both Darth Vader (Prowse) and the deadly bounty hunter Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch).

It also had one of the most well-known movie lines of all time (no spoilers) that revealed who Darth Vader truly is. Filled with humor, romance, and a cliffhanger no one saw coming, it is no wonder this Star Wars film is number one. 

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