Rogue One After Rogue One, what's the best viewing order?

As of today I would watch it in this order: E1, E2, E3, R1, E4, E5, E6 and E7.

However, if I had never seen the any Star Wars film I would always watch the original trilogy first, then the prequels and finally Rogue 1 (it is a direct sequel to Revenge of the Sith). There is nothing in Episode VII which you have to know to be able to watch Rogue 1 and thus that would always come last.

 

This, 100%

 

Thanks

 

For the Star Wars virgin (they are as rare as the Jedi in the OT), I'd go I-III, R1, IV-VII.

For my entertainment delight, I'd go R1, ANH, ESB, ROTJ, TFA,TPM, AOTC, ROTS

My next marathon with friends is going to be 2019 (where we watch them up all up till IX) so I got some time to figure it out and place the Han Solo spinoff somewhere. We did one last year for the TFA.

 

As of now and for 2019 it'd be I-III, R1, IV-IX.

We can't know if Han Solo or Boba Fett? would have any significance to the through line of that story. An Obi-Wan movie possibly would of course especially if it has some material with a young Luke.

 

If I were showing Star Wars to a complete Star Wars newb, I would go:

ANH, ESB, EP I-III, RotJ, R1, TFA.

While it does somewhat detract from the hopeful ending of RotJ, putting R1 after RotJ allows the uninitiated viewer to understand the references, and gives them a sense of "the price of freedom" in the Star Wars Universe.

Upon future viewings, now that they are familiar with Star Wars, I would put Rogue One at the beginning of "Machete Order."

Or you could just watch them based on in-universe chronology.

 

R1-IV-V-VI-VII That should really emphasize the Vader reveal and the mythical power of the Force, while maintaining most of Obi-Wan Kenobi's dignity and respect.

 

If I was introducing Star Wars to a 10 year old tomorrow, I'd start with Rogue One, run through the OT, then finish with TFA. It's the best case for the greatness of Star Wars. The PT is still there for anyone who wants to seek it out, but I now view it as ancillary material on the level of TCW, Rebels and the EU--it's still part of the canon (in the sense of being legitimate entries) but it's no longer part of the canon (in the sense of core works of the highest quality). All IMHO, of course.

Rogue One absolutely works as an entry point. I know of several people who have seen it without being exposed to Star Wars who now want to watch the other movies.

 

I'd just watch in production order - IV, V, VI, I, II, III - with the caveat of slipping R1 in here - then onto VII, TFA. It would sort of create the endless loop of wanting to watch IV again right after TFA.

 

One has to "alter the deal" further because I can't possibly include Eps1 and 2 in a marathon of the saga, and starting with Episode III makes no sense because so little is explained in that movie at all. ROTS does work well as a "flashback" to show the creation of Vader if viewed between ESB and ROTJ when the viewer is at the fulcrum between Vader's height of Bad***ery and his ultimate redemption/death. Watching ROTS immediately before Jedi actually makes his redemption on screen that much more powerful because you've just seen how he fell in the first place. And when viewed as a Saga there's really very little in Eps 1 and 2 that is truly relevant to the OT or TFA, that isn't covered in 3, so those episodes have to go.

 

Still no TPM

4, 5, 2, 3, RO, 6, 7

Also, potentially

4, 5, 2, 3, 6, 7, RO

 

If that is the way it is for you then it is.

I can't see how in any way, shape or form how that works though. If ROTS makes the redemption on screen all the more powerful before ROTJ then it follows TPM and AOTC make ROTS all the more powerful and by resonance therefore ROTJ and the entire saga as a whole.

As intrinsically linked as I-VI are with VII it's even yet more heightened as both Rey and Kylo Ren directly relate to Anakin's story as seen in TPM and AOTC.

 

OT first, in the correct order, then maybe zip backwards to watch R1 for a bit of a post-trilogy history lesson, then move on to TFA. Job done.

 

Chronological is the best especially now

 

Honestly ROTJ still ranks as #1 for me.

In order...
ROTJ
ANH
ESB
R1
TFA
ROTS
TPM
AOTC

 

RO
Star Wars
Empire
Jedi

I'm thinking swing I-III for background then

The Force Awakens
VIII
IX

That or even possibly skip the prequels and come back to them as like appendices after going forward. They are increasingly in an entirely different universe than the rest.

 

Well, I do my SW viewings weird somewhat. I go:

-TPM
-AOTC
-ROTS
-ANH
-TESB
-ROTJ
-TFA
-R1
-TCW film/series
-Rebels

I plan to watch the saga films, then the anthology films, and then the TV series.

 

It depends on age for me. For my kids I probably will go in order because I think children won't pick up on any of the script issues in TPM or AOTC anyway. Sure, it would ruin the twist for them but it would become more of a dramatic irony moment for them as they awaited Luke's reaction to the news and saw Vader and Leia interact without knowing who the other was.

If somehow it was an older, more casual fan of sci-fi or fantasy, who somehow missed all of these and was curious where to Star he I'd tell him episodes 1-3 are a little more for kids and suggest:

Rogue One, A New Hope, Empire, and Return of the Jedi.

Then, I'd ask that person after what sounds more interesting? Learning a little more about Vader prior to Rogue One and watching a movie about as good as Return of the Jedi, or jumping forward 30 years and seeing how history can in some ways repeat and seeing how this crew has aged. If the former I'd suggest ROTS next exclusively. It's the best prequel beyond Rogue One significantly. If the latter I'd suggest the new trilogy. If after all that they still seemed keen to watch I and II I'd say go for it. I enjoy I and II but I can see how others may not.

For me, personally, I anticipate watching III, R1, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX the most where possible.

 

Release order can only be done without the spin-offs at this point because you'd go from Episode VII to Rogue One to Episode VIII to the Han Solo film. Chronological definitely provides the most coherent story, I think.

 

This is basically what I was trying to say. I think they're fine as movies to seek out if you want more background, but they're supplemental to the other movies. RO through to TFA feel like much more of a single series of films.

 

Two possible viewing orders IMO:

1) The order in which they were produced.

2) The order in which they were produced, but skipping the PT.

 

Watch them in the order of release - then newbies can experience it the way we did - it works way better that way......

 

I would watch it like this

ANH
R01
ANH again
TESB
First third of ROTJ. Cut it off at the part Luke learns about his sister
TPM
AOTC
ROTS
Last two acts of the ROTJ
TFA