List of Star Wars films facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Star Wars films |
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| Directed by | George Lucas (I, II, III, IV) Irvin Kershner (V) Richard Marquand (VI) J. J. Abrams (VII, IX) Rian Johnson (VIII) Dave Filoni (Clone Wars) Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) Ron Howard (Solo) Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian & Grogu) |
| Produced by | Gary Kurtz (IV, V) Howard Kazanjian (VI) Rick McCallum (I, II, III) Catherine Winder (Clone Wars) Kathleen Kennedy, (VII, Rogue One, VIII, Solo, IX, The Mandalorian & Grogu) Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian & Grogu) Dave Filoni (The Mandalorian & Grogu) J. J. Abrams (VII, IX) Bryan Burk (VII) Allison Shearmur (Rogue One, Solo) Simon Emanuel (Rogue One, Solo) Ram Bergman (VIII) Michelle Rejwan (IX) |
| Story by | George Lucas |
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| Release date(s) | 1977–present |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | Total (11 films): $2.079 billion |
| Money made | Total (11 films): $10.341 billion |
The Star Wars movies are a huge collection of live-action and animated films. The main story began with three films that jumped right into the middle of the action. Later, this grew into a series of nine films, known as the "Skywalker Saga."
The first movie, Star Wars (1977), was later called Episode IV – A New Hope. It was followed by The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). These three films make up the original trilogy. Years later, the prequel trilogy came out, including The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005).
In 2012, the creator, George Lucas, sold his company Lucasfilm to Disney. After this, a sequel trilogy was released. It included The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
Besides the main saga, there have been other Star Wars films. Some early TV movies like Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) and the Ewok adventures (1984, 1985) are no longer part of the official story. However, the animated movie Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and its TV show are still official.
Two standalone movies, Rogue One (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), were released between the sequel trilogy films. These movies tell stories that happen between the original and prequel trilogies. The Star Wars films have earned over $10 billion worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing film series ever. Many of the main live-action films have been nominated for Academy Awards. Several official Star Wars TV shows are also available on Disney+.
The Skywalker Saga Films
The main Star Wars film series is made up of three groups of three movies, totaling nine films. This entire story is known as the "Skywalker Saga." It started with the original trilogy (Episodes IV, V, and VI, 1977–1983). Then came the prequel trilogy (Episodes I, II, and III, 1999–2005). Finally, the sequel trilogy (Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, 2015–2019) completed the saga.
Even though Star Wars (1977) was the first movie released, it's actually the fourth in the story's timeline. It was later renamed Episode IV – A New Hope. The saga begins chronologically with Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) and finishes with Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
The story follows the Skywalker family, who can use a special energy called The Force. They fight against Palpatine, an evil Sith Lord also known as Darth Sidious. The prequel trilogy shows Anakin Skywalker learning to be a Jedi and then turning to the dark side as Darth Vader. The original trilogy follows his children, Luke and Leia. They team up with Han Solo and the Rebel Alliance to fight Vader and Palpatine's Empire. The sequel trilogy introduces Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), who is Leia and Han's son and Luke's former student. He falls to the dark side. The story also features Rey, Palpatine's granddaughter and Luke and Leia's last Jedi student.
Each main Star Wars movie starts with a famous scrolling text that tells you what's happening. This is always played with the iconic Star Wars theme music by John Williams. After the first movies came out, George Lucas made some changes to them for later releases.
| Film Title | U.S. Release Date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prequel Trilogy | |||||
| Episode I – The Phantom Menace | May 19, 1999 | George Lucas | Rick McCallum | ||
| Episode II – Attack of the Clones | May 16, 2002 | George Lucas | George Lucas and Jonathan Hales | George Lucas | |
| Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | May 19, 2005 | George Lucas | |||
| Original Trilogy | |||||
| Episode IV – A New Hope | May 25, 1977 | George Lucas | Gary Kurtz | ||
| Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back | May 21, 1980 | Irvin Kershner | Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan | George Lucas | |
| Episode VI – Return of the Jedi | May 25, 1983 | Richard Marquand | Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas | Howard Kazanjian | |
| Sequel Trilogy | |||||
| Episode VII – The Force Awakens | December 18, 2015 | J. J. Abrams | J. J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt | Kathleen Kennedy, J. J. Abrams and Bryan Burk | |
| Episode VIII – The Last Jedi | December 15, 2017 | Rian Johnson | Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman | ||
| Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker | December 20, 2019 | J. J. Abrams | Chris Terrio and J. J. Abrams | Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow, J. J. Abrams and Chris Terrio | Kathleen Kennedy, J. J. Abrams and Michelle Rejwan |
Standalone Star Wars Films
George Lucas also planned to make other Star Wars movies that were not part of the main Skywalker Saga. The first films outside the main series were about the Ewoks: Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985).
After the first six Star Wars movies finished in 2005, Lucas started making more TV shows. An animated movie, The Clone Wars (2008), was released as a preview for a TV series with the same name.
Later, Disney started making new standalone movies. These films tell "origin stories" about how certain characters or events began. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) shows how the rebels stole the plans for the Death Star, right before Episode IV. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) tells the backstory of Han Solo, and also features Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian.
Animated Standalone Film
| Film Title | Release Date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Clone Wars | August 15, 2008 | Dave Filoni | Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching, and Scott Murphy | Catherine Winder |
The Clone Wars (2008)
This animated movie came out before the animated TV series of the same name in 2008. It was put together from episodes almost as an extra idea. The film reveals that Anakin Skywalker had a student named Padawan Ahsoka Tano between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The movie and TV series are considered part of the official Star Wars story, just like the main films.
Live-Action Standalone Films
| Film Title | U.S. Release Date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | December 16, 2016 | Gareth Edwards | Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy | John Knoll and Gary Whitta | Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel |
| Solo: A Star Wars Story | May 25, 2018 | Ron Howard | Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan | ||
Before selling Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, George Lucas and writer Lawrence Kasdan started working on a standalone movie about a young Han Solo. Disney later announced more standalone films, which their CFO (chief financial officer) described as "origin stories." Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said these movies would not directly connect characters to the main saga films. These standalone films are subtitled "A Star Wars Story".
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
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Rogue One takes place right before Episode IV: A New Hope. It follows a group of rebels who try to steal the plans for the Death Star. The Death Star's powerful laser was created by scientist Galen Erso (played by Mads Mikkelsen). The Empire forced him to work for them, taking him away from his daughter Jyn. Galen secretly sends a message through an Imperial pilot, Bodhi Rook. The message warns about the Death Star and reveals its weakness to his rebel friend Saw Gerrera. Jyn agrees to help Rebel Alliance officer Cassian Andor and his droid K-2SO get the message from Saw.
The idea for the movie came from John Knoll, a creative officer at Industrial Light & Magic. Rogue One was directed by Gareth Edwards and starred Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso. Ben Mendelsohn and Diego Luna also played new characters. James Earl Jones returned to voice Darth Vader. The movie was praised for its acting, action, music, and visual effects. It earned over $500 million worldwide in its first week.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
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Solo is the second standalone film and focuses on Han Solo about 10 years before A New Hope. After a failed escape from his home planet, Corellia, a young Han promises to return for his girlfriend Qi'ra. Han joins the Imperial Academy but is kicked out for being reckless. Han and his new Wookiee friend Chewbacca become criminals, learning from smuggler Tobias Beckett. They get into trouble with a gangster named Dryden Vos, for whom Qi'ra now works. To survive, Han and his friends must pull off a heist for Vos. They hire Lando Calrissian, who owns the Millennium Falcon, to help them. The movie also reveals that Darth Maul survived The Phantom Menace, a story previously told in animated series.
George Lucas had hired Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan to write a film about a young Han Solo. The movie stars Alden Ehrenreich as young Han Solo, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Emilia Clarke as Qi'ra, and Woody Harrelson as Beckett. The original directors were replaced by Ron Howard during filming.
Future Star Wars Films
Lucasfilm has confirmed that more standalone films are being planned for after 2019's The Rise of Skywalker. New Star Wars films are expected in May 2026, December 2026, and December 2027. Kathleen Kennedy said that future films will be released "when they're ready."
In 2020, Taika Waititi was announced to write and direct a live-action Star Wars film. In 2023, three more live-action films were announced, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Dave Filoni, and James Mangold. Kennedy also said that upcoming films would still have the classic opening crawl. In 2024, a Mandalorian spin-off movie by Jon Favreau was announced.
| Film Title | U.S. Release Date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Mandalorian & Grogu | May 22, 2026 | Jon Favreau | Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau | In Production | ||
| Untitled Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy film | rowspan="8" TBA | Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy | Steven Knight | Kathleen Kennedy | ||
| Untitled Dave Filoni film | Dave Filoni | Kathleen Kennedy and Jon Favreau | In Development | |||
| Untitled James Mangold film | James Mangold | James Mangold and Beau Willimon | Kathleen Kennedy | |||
| Untitled Taika Waititi film | Taika Waititi | |||||
| Lando | TBA | Donald Glover and Stephen Glover | ||||
| Rogue Squadron | Patty Jenkins | |||||
| Untitled Shawn Levy film | Shawn Levy | colspan="2" TBA | ||||
| Untitled Rian Johnson film | Rian Johnson | Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman | ||||
The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026)
In 2019, Disney's CCO (chief creative officer) said that if The Mandalorian TV series was successful, a movie spin-off would be considered. In January 2024, it was announced that the series creator, Jon Favreau, would write and direct a film based on the show, called The Mandalorian & Grogu. Filming was expected to start later in 2024. In February 2024, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the film is planned for a 2026 release. In April 2024, the release date was set for May 22, 2026.
Untitled Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy film (TBA)
In October 2022, it was reported that Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson were writing a Star Wars film, with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy set to direct. This project is meant to be a standalone film but could lead to more movies. It will take place after the sequel trilogy and might feature some of its characters. In March 2023, Steven Knight was hired to rewrite the script. At Star Wars Celebration in April 2023, Kathleen Kennedy officially announced this movie. Daisy Ridley will return as Rey, who is building a new Jedi Order 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker.
Untitled Dave Filoni film (TBA)
In December 2020, it was revealed that The Mandalorian and its related shows would lead to a big "climactic story event." At Star Wars Celebration in 2023, it was announced that Dave Filoni would direct his first live-action movie. This film will be set in the New Republic era and will connect storylines from The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew.
Untitled James Mangold film (TBA)
In April 2023, Lucasfilm announced that James Mangold would write and direct a Star Wars film. Its story will go back to the "dawn of the Jedi" and explore how The Force began, about 25,000 years before A New Hope. This film is meant to start a new era in the Star Wars timeline called Dawn of the Jedi. Mangold described it as a "biblical epic," inspired by films like The Ten Commandments.
Untitled Taika Waititi film (TBA)
On May 4, 2020, Taika Waititi was officially announced to direct a Star Wars film. He is also writing the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns. As of May 2022, his film was expected to be released before Rogue Squadron. Waititi wants his film to explore new parts of the Star Wars universe, rather than just origin stories. In April 2023, Kennedy stated that Waititi was now writing the film by himself. The film is still in development.
Lando (TBA)
In 2018, Kathleen Kennedy showed interest in a spin-off film about Lando Calrissian. Donald Glover, who played Lando in Solo, also wanted to make such a film. In 2020, a Lando series was announced for Disney+. In 2023, it was revealed that Donald Glover and his brother Stephen would take over the project. Soon after, Stephen Glover confirmed that the project was being redeveloped as a feature film.
Rogue Squadron (TBA)
On December 10, 2020, Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman, was announced as the director for a film called Rogue Squadron. It was originally set for release on December 22, 2023. The film would introduce new starfighter pilots and move the story into a future era of the galaxy. Jenkins said the film would be an original story, but influenced by the games and books. The film's production was delayed in 2021 due to Jenkins' busy schedule. In September 2022, the film was removed from Disney's release schedule, but Jenkins said in December that she was still working on it. In April 2023, Kennedy said the project could still happen as a film or TV series. In March 2024, Jenkins confirmed she had signed a new contract to write and direct Rogue Squadron.
Other Future Films
Rian Johnson, the writer and director of The Last Jedi (2017), is confirmed to write and direct the first film of a new trilogy. This new trilogy would focus on new characters and possibly a different time period than the main Star Wars films.
In November 2022, it was reported that Shawn Levy was in talks to direct a Star Wars film.
Films Made for Television
The first spin-off Star Wars film was a holiday TV special that aired in 1978. Two live-action TV films about the Ewoks were also made in the mid-1980s.
Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
| Film Title | Release Date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars Holiday Special | November 17, 1978 | Steve Binder | Pat Proft, Leonard Ripps, Bruce Vilanch, Rod Warren and Mitzie Welch | CBS |
This two-hour TV special aired on CBS in 1978. It was a variety show featuring stars from the original Star Wars film, celebrity guests, skits, songs, and an animated part. The story was loosely about Chewbacca's family waiting for him to celebrate "Life Day" on his home planet, Kashyyyk. The special is known for being very unpopular and only aired once. Only the 11-minute animated part, which introduced the bounty hunter Boba Fett, was well-received.
Ewok Films
The Ewoks from Return of the Jedi starred in two TV films: The Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. Both aired on ABC in November 1984 and 1985. The first film also had a limited release in movie theaters internationally. Warwick Davis played the main Ewok, Wicket, in both films. They are set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. These films were based on stories by George Lucas but were not considered part of the main Star Wars story. After Disney bought the franchise, they were no longer part of the official story.
| Film Title | Release Date | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ewok Adventure | November 25, 1984 | John Korty | Bob Carrau | George Lucas | ABC |
| Ewoks: The Battle for Endor | November 24, 1985 | Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat | |||
The Ewok Adventure (1984)
In this story by George Lucas, the Towani family's spaceship crashes on the forest moon of Endor. While trying to fix their ship, the parents are kidnapped by a giant creature called the Gorax. A group of native Ewoks, led by Wicket, decide to help the children, Cindel and Mace, rescue their parents. This film also has a narrator, which is different from the main Star Wars movies.
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985)
The sequel focuses on the Ewoks protecting their village. They are attacked by evil marauders led by Lord Terak. Terak killed most of the Towani family, except for Cindel, while searching for a power battery. This movie was followed by the TV series Ewoks (1985–1987).
Films Made for Disney+
A Droid Story
In December 2020, A Droid Story, an animated adventure film for Disney+, was announced. This "epic journey will introduce us to a new hero guided by R2-D2 and C-3PO."
Unproduced and Abandoned Star Wars Projects
Over the years, many Star Wars film projects were planned but never made.
- Untitled Zack Snyder film: In the 2000s, director Zack Snyder pitched an adult-focused Star Wars film. However, talks stopped when Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012. This project was later turned into the movie Rebel Moon (2023).
- Boba Fett and Yoda spin-off films: In 2013, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced plans for spin-off films about Han Solo, Boba Fett, and Yoda. A Boba Fett film was planned with Josh Trank as director, but he left the project. Later, James Mangold was set to direct it. However, the film was canceled in 2018, and Lucasfilm decided to focus on The Mandalorian TV series instead, which features a similar character.
- Obi-Wan: A Star Wars Story: In 2017, a standalone film about Obi-Wan Kenobi was in development. It was rumored to be about Kenobi protecting a young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine. This film was canceled in 2018 and later became a TV series for Disney+, which aired in 2022.
- Potential sequels to Rogue One and Solo: The actors from Rogue One and Solo had contracts that included future movies. However, Solo director Ron Howard confirmed in 2022 that the studio had no plans for a sequel.
- Untitled Jabba the Hutt film: In 2017, there were rumors of a film about Jabba the Hutt. In 2023, writer David S. Goyer confirmed he had written a story for a Jabba-focused film. It was also known as the rumored Mos Eisley film. This project was canceled because Solo did not do well at the box office.
- Untitled D. B. Weiss & David Benioff series: In 2018, Lucasfilm announced that Game of Thrones creators D. B. Weiss and David Benioff would develop a series of Star Wars films. However, they left the project in 2019 to work with Netflix. Their films would have focused on the origins of the Jedi.
- Untitled Knights of the Old Republic film: In 2019, Kathleen Kennedy said Lucasfilm was developing something based on the Knights of the Old Republic video game. It was reported that Laeta Kalogridis was writing a script for a possible trilogy.
- Untitled Kevin Feige film: In 2019, it was reported that Marvel producer Kevin Feige was developing a Star Wars film. Michael Waldron was announced to write the screenplay. However, in 2023, the film was confirmed to no longer be in development. Kennedy clarified that the project was never fully developed.
- Untitled J. D. Dillard and Matt Owens film: In 2020, J. D. Dillard and writer Matt Owens were reportedly working on a Star Wars film. In 2022, Dillard announced he was no longer involved in the project.
Documentaries About Star Wars
Many documentary films have been made about Star Wars:
- The Making of Star Wars (1977)
- SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi (1983)
- From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga (1983)
- The Beginning: Making 'Episode I' (2001)
- From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in 'Episode II' (2002)
- The Story of Star Wars (2004)
- Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004)
- Star Wars: Heroes & Villains (2005)
- Within a Minute: The Making of Episode III (2005)
- Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed (2007)
- Secrets of the Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey (2016)
- The Force of Sound (2018)
- The Director and the Jedi (2018)
- The Skywalker Legacy (2020)
- Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett (2021)
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return (2022)
See also
- List of Star Wars cast members
- List of Star Wars characters
Star Wars Parodies
Many films and shows have made fun of Star Wars:
- Hardware Wars (1977)
- Spaceballs (1987)
- Thumb Wars (1999)
- Robot Chicken: Star Wars (2007)
- Laugh It Up, Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy (2010)
- The Lego Movie (2014)
- Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars (2014)
- Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
- Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Production (2018)
