What order should you watch Star Wars in?
Most fans recommend watching Star Wars in release order, starting with A New Hope (1977), so the story's surprises work as intended. Chronological order, starting with The Phantom Menace, follows the timeline of events.
Release order for the main saga is: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Watching this way keeps the big twist in The Empire Strikes Back a surprise.
Chronological order starts with Episode I, The Phantom Menace, and goes through to Episode IX. Rogue One fits just before A New Hope, and Solo fits between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The Mandalorian and Grogu takes place after Return of the Jedi.
Other popular orders
The Machete Order, popularized by a blogger in 2011, watches Episodes IV and V, then flashes back to II and III before finishing with VI, and skips Episode I. Newcomers who only want the essentials often start with the original trilogy and decide from there.
Did You Know?
Rogue One leads directly into the opening scene of A New Hope, which makes it a popular film to watch right before the original.