There is only one correct order to watch Star Wars – at least according to George Lucas. The watch order for the Star Wars movies has been a topic of debate since the release of the Star Wars prequels, as Lucas decided to tell Darth Vader’s origin story after finishing the Luke Skywalker trilogy. The Star Wars viewing order debate has become even more complicated after the Star Wars sequels and the several Disney+ Star Wars shows, but Lucas already had a strong opinion on the matter over a decade ago.
According to George Lucas (via Vulture), the chronological order is the correct order to watch Star Wars. In other words, he believes someone who wants to watch Star Wars should start with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, which is actually the fourth movie in the release order. The interview with Lucas in which he stated this happened right before the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which means he was only referring to Episodes I-VI. Still, according to Lucas, the prequel trilogy should be the starting point for the Skywalker Saga, with the original Star Wars movie, a.k.a. A New Hope, only coming in after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
Why George Lucas Wants You To Watch Star Wars Chronologically
George Lucas thinks of Star Wars Episodes I-VI as a single movie whose main character is Darth Vader, perceiving the saga as one big story divided into six episodes, so naturally, it starts with Episode I. The debate regarding the correct order to watch Star Wars comes from the fact that the prequels were highly criticized after their launch, a perception that has only recently started to change. Lucas, on the other hand, has always been proud of the Star Wars prequels – it was the story he wanted to tell. Lucas also wants audiences to know how “pathetic” Darth Vader is in A New Hope (via Rolling Stone), which only works in chronological order.
Is The Chronological Order Really The Best Way To Watch Star Wars?
It makes sense for George Lucas, the main creative force behind the Star Wars prequels, to suggest that the chronological order is the best way to watch Star Wars. He had said multiple times during the original trilogy that the story was incomplete, which is why Star Wars was renamed Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope in 1981. Also, considering how the reveal that Darth Vader is Luke’s father is widely known even by those who have never watched Star Wars, the idea that the prequels spoil the original trilogy doesn’t hold up. With Star Wars now releasing more content than ever, all of which take place at a different point in the Star Wars timeline, the chronological order can indeed work better for new audiences.
Between standalone movies like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Disney+ series like The Mandalorian and Andor, trying to follow Star Wars by the release order might be difficult for new audiences. While George Lucas’s answer only referred to Episodes I-VI, the case for the Star Wars chronological watch order being the best one makes even more sense now. The Star Wars sequels continued the story of the Skywalkers even if the focus was not always on them, which means Lucas’s idea of it all being one movie still makes sense.