As far as unnecessary holidays go, May the Fourth is one of the most beloved traditions for both Star Wars fans and pun enthusiasts. For your true Star Wars fan friends, maybe they deserve an awesome Star Wars-themed gift With so many people stuck at home with nothing to do but watch Netflix movies to pass the time, a celebration that involves Star Wars films is exactly what we all need right now.
- Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
- Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
- Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)
- Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Whether you’re looking to binge every Star Wars movie this weekend (made better with a Star Wars drinking game) or just one of your favorites on the day of, we’ve made it easier by bringing you all the links to each and every one. So grab your Star Wars beer or a home-crafted Star Wars cocktail, grab a seat, and May the Fourth be with you.
Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Not exactly the best Star Wars movie out there, this is the first film in the canon where the story truly begins. Besides the irritating character Jar Jar Binks and the unfortunate critical bashing of young Anakin Skywalker, this movie has some unforgettable battles and features the incredible, conclusive lightsaber “Duel of the Fates” between Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Darth Maul.
Director: George Lucas
Main Cast: Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman
Runtime: 136 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.5
Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
Ah yes, Episode II. Now that Anakin has grown up to be a rather angsty young man, we start getting into some of the more impressive space battles. You also get to witness a love blossom between a youthful Darth Vader and Padme for the first time.
Director: George Lucas
Main Cast: Hayden Christiansen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor
Runtime: 142 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.5
Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Episode III has some of the best moments of the prequel trilogy. You get to watch Obi-Wan take on General Grievous, Anakin turn to the dark side, and Palpatine finally revealing himself as a Sith Lord. The absolute bleakness of this film was a first for the series and emotionally rocked avid Star Wars fans to the core, despite knowing the general outcome before it happened.
Director: George Lucas
Main Cast: Hayden Christiansen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor
Runtime: 140 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Jumping somewhere into the future after Episode III, we get to watch the beginnings of a young Han Solo and how he came to know Lando Calrissian, befriend Chewie, and acquire the Millenium Falcon. As much as fans wanted a Han Solo movie, this particular film did not fare nearly as well as many of the others on this list.
Director: Ron Howard
Main Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke
Runtime: 135 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.9
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Taking place right before Episode IV, Rogue One was the first attempt from Disney to expand the canon on the big screen. It’s not an essential watch, but it tells the story of how the rebels came to be in possession of the plans for the Death Star and the sacrifices that had to be made. Besides being a pretty cool side story, the emotional stress is sincere, and the battles are quite impressive.
Fun fact: if you watch this right before Episode IV, it transitions seamlessly into the opening scene with gusto from a chillingly badass Darth Vader scene.
Director: Gareth Edwards
Main Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk
Runtime: 133 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
The first-ever created Star Wars movie is a classic hero’s journey full of lovable characters and formidable foes, a perfect blend of action-adventure, wholesome comedy, and sci-fi. Watched in timeline order, it’s entertaining to see how the stories match up over time and create depth for the weight of the history and political happenings.
Director: George Lucas
Main Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Runtime: 121 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.6
Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Arguably the best of the Star Wars movies, Episode V is the awesome sequel to the most ambitious sci-fi movie of its time. After successfully blowing up the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance faces retaliation from the Empire. Plus, this is where Yoda makes his first appearance! Despite the epic twist that everyone now knows, it’s still an incredible continuation of the story with some impressive effects for its time.
Director: Irvin Kershner
Main Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Runtime: 124 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.7
Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
As the final film in the original trilogy, Episode VI delivers a fully-realized Jedi and some of the most memorable moments of the entire series. Not to mention the appearance of Princess Leia’s famous gold bikini and some furry little bear creatures that may make or break the movie for you.
Director: Richard Marquand
Main Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Runtime: 131 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
Shortly after Disney bought the rights to the Star Wars franchise, we received Episode VII – The Force Awakens which also awoke the franchise — to some fan’s dismay. Though it’s largely just A New Hope with different characters, the improved special effects and overall aesthetic were widely well-received.
Director: J.J. Abrams
Main Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac
Runtime: 138 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)
After the (spoiler alert) death of Han Solo, Episode VIII brings the re-introduction of Luke Skywalker as Rey seeks his aid. Despite being not so well received, this sequel has some great lightsaber battles and a defining evolutionary step for villain Kylo Ren. Plus it’s fun to see Luke as the old and reluctant Jedi master/trainer.
Director: Rian Johnson
Main Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill
Runtime: 152 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.0
Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Episode IX is definitely the most poorly received film of the new trilogy — probably due to its glaring plot holes, groan-worthy cliches, and consistently inconsistent narrative — but it’s a lot of fun to watch if you turn your brain off and simply enjoy the flashing lights.
Director: J.J. Abrams
Main Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac
Runtime: 141 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.6
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