Tier List
Star Wars Movies Tier List: All 12 Films Ranked (2026)
All 12 live-action Star Wars films ranked from S-tier to D-tier, including The Mandalorian and Grogu. Then build your own Star Wars tier list with head-to-head comparisons.
The Complete Star Wars Tier List
There are 12 live-action theatrical Star Wars films as of July 2026, and this tier list ranks every one of them from S-tier to D-tier. That includes The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22, 2026), the first Star Wars film in seven years and one most rankings have not added yet. The Empire Strikes Back takes the top tier; The Phantom Menace takes the bottom.
Every Star Wars fan has a ranking, and no two agree. Below is the complete S/A/B/C/D tier list: original trilogy, prequels, sequels, anthology entries, and the new standalone. Build your own definitive version in minutes with Shortlist.
The Empire Strikes Back
Episode V · (1980)The darkest, smartest, most emotional Star Wars film. Still the ceiling.
Star Wars: A New Hope
Episode IV · (1977)The film that rewrote Hollywood. Every frame is iconic.
Rank Star Wars your way
Our top 5, head-to-head. Tap the one you prefer and we will build your order, then show you where you disagree with us.
The Reel
One sharp movie newsletter, every Tuesday
What to watch, what to skip, and where it lands on the rankings. Free, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Just want the tier sheet? Download it free, no email needed.
Return of the Jedi
Episode VI · (1983)Ewoks aside, the throne room sequence is one of the best ever filmed.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Anthology · (2016)The Vader hallway scene alone justifies this film's existence.
Revenge of the Sith
Episode III · (2005)The prequel that actually delivered. Anakin's fall still hits hard.
The Force Awakens
Episode VII · (2015)A nostalgia hit that works. Rey, Finn, and Poe felt fresh.
The Last Jedi
Episode VIII · (2017)The most divisive Star Wars film. Swing big, miss some, hit a lot.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Anthology · (2018)Better than its troubled production suggests. Donald Glover is great.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Standalone · (2026)The first Star Wars film in seven years, and it plays like a very expensive episode. Big action, thin story, and Grogu doing most of the heavy lifting.
The Rise of Skywalker
Episode IX · (2019)Rushed ending to the sequel trilogy. Felt like two movies in one.
Attack of the Clones
Episode II · (2002)Yoda fight slaps. Romance subplot drags.
The Phantom Menace
Episode I · (1999)Pod racing and Duel of the Fates can't save the politics and Jar Jar.
Star Wars Movies in Order: Release vs. Chronological
Two legitimate viewing orders for Star Wars, and the order you pick affects how much you enjoy certain reveals.
Release order (1977 → present): Episodes IV, V, VI, I, II, III, VII, VIII, IX, plus Rogue One and Solo wherever they fit. Preserves Vader's reveal and the original films' visual style.
Chronological order: Episodes I-IX in sequence, with Solo before Rogue One and Rogue One immediately before Episode IV, which it leads directly into. Spoils Vader but makes the Skywalker saga one continuous story.
Machete order (a fan favorite): IV, V, II, III, VI. Skips Episode I entirely. Keeps Vader's reveal and minimizes prequel pain.
All three orders in full, every film with its exact runtime and where The Mandalorian and Grogu lands on the timeline, are in our Star Wars movies in order guide.
How to Build Your Own Star Wars Tier List
You just built one. The card above turned your taps into your order, and that is the whole method: your gut answers "Empire or Rogue One?" instantly, even when "rate Empire out of five" makes you stall. The only thing that card cannot do is go wider than five films.
That is what the app is for. In Shortlist you rank all 12 live-action films the same way, one matchup at a time, and the list keeps updating as you rewatch. Skip the prequels if you must. Every ranking gets a share link, so the version you send to the group chat is the one you will actually defend.
Our movie tier list guide explains the head-to-head approach in more detail.
Two different things get scored around this page. The S to D tiers above are editorial, and S means a film that held up rather than one that reviewed well on opening weekend. The score you see in the app is a different number: it is built from the head-to-head comparisons you make, scaled to 0 to 10, not from critic averages. How Shortlist scores work sets out the whole method.
Should You Include the Star Wars TV Shows?
The Mandalorian, Andor, Ahsoka, and The Clone Wars aren't in this list because they're TV, not movies. But they're great, and Andor might be the best Star Wars story since Empire. See our TV show tier list guide for how to rank those separately.
Best and Worst Star Wars Movies: The Consensus
Critics, fans, and Rotten Tomatoes mostly agree on the extremes, and fight loudly about the middle.
- Consensus best: The Empire Strikes Back. Near-universal #1.
- Consensus worst: The Phantom Menace. Jar Jar-related discourse is older than some fans.
- Most divisive: The Last Jedi. Either a masterpiece or a disaster, depending on who you ask.
- Most improved reputation: Revenge of the Sith. Memed into greatness, now genuinely beloved.
Star Wars Tier List FAQ
How many Star Wars movies are there?
There are 12 live-action theatrical Star Wars films as of July 2026: the original trilogy (IV, V, VI), the prequel trilogy (I, II, III), the sequel trilogy (VII, VIII, IX), two anthology films (Rogue One, Solo), and The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), the standalone that ended the seven-year gap since The Rise of Skywalker. Plus The Clone Wars (2008) animated theatrical release if you count it.
What's the best Star Wars movie of all time?
The Empire Strikes Back (1980) tops nearly every ranking: fan, critic, or filmmaker. The darker tone, Yoda's introduction, Han and Leia's chemistry, and "I am your father" make it untouchable.
In what order should I watch Star Wars for the first time?
Release order (IV, V, VI, I, II, III, VII, VIII, IX) is the most popular recommendation for first-time viewers because it preserves the Vader reveal. Machete order (IV, V, II, III, VI) is a fan favorite for skipping the weaker prequel elements.
Related Tier Lists
- Star Wars, in orderRank these
- Marvel38 films · Rank these
- Jurassic Park7 films · Rank these
- James Bond25 films · Rank these
- Christopher Nolan13 films · Rank these
- Harry Potter11 films · Rank these
- Pixar31 films · Rank these
- Star Trek13 films · Rank these
- How to build a tier listRank these
- TV show tier listsRank these
- Movie ranking appsRank these
The Reel
One sharp movie newsletter, every Tuesday
What to watch, what to skip, and where it lands on the rankings. Free, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Just want the tier sheet? Download it free, no email needed.
Build your Star Wars tier list
Download Shortlist and settle the galactic debate with head-to-head comparisons. It's free.
