Star Wars watchlist: Best films and series on Disney+ from the Skywalker saga to The Mandalorian
Ahead of May 4, here are the best films and series to watch
So, you can be a veteran Jedi who remembers the 1977 premiere or a Padawan just learning to wield a lightsaber, regardless, May 4 is a special day for all fans.
With Star Wars finally returning to the big screen this month for the first time in seven years, there has never been a better time to lock your S-foils in attack position and binge-watch the saga on Disney+.
The Original Trilogy: Where it all began
Pay respect where it's due, folks. Go back to the 1970s, relive the young days of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in the original films, that are the cinematic equivalent of comfort food, assuming the food involved planet-destroying lasers and family drama.
A New Hope (1977): Meet the farm boy named Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) who is thrust into a galactic civil war after a chance meeting with Obi-Wan Kenobi. In A New Hope, Luke joins the Rebel Alliance on a daring mission to rescue the rebel leader, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and destroy the Empire’s planet-killing weapon.
The Empire Strikes Back (1980): The story deepens in The Empire Strikes Back, as Imperial forces track the Rebels to the ice planet Hoth, forcing them to flee. Luke travels to Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, while Darth Vader captures Han, Leia, and their allies to lure Luke into a trap at Cloud City. There, Luke confronts Vader in a brutal duel that ends with the shocking revelation that Vader is his father that would spawn a thousand memes, years on.
Return of the Jedi (1983): The Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star. Luke must confront Darth Vader and the evil Emperor one last time in a climatic duel to restore freedom to the galaxy, while his friends, including Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca, lead the final assault against the Imperial fleet.
The modern blockbusters: A new era
If you want to see where the Skywalker name eventually leads, look no further than the trilogy that introduced us to a new generation of heroes. The jury is still out on this one, and there are a lot of...mixed feelings about this, but hey, once you're part of the Star Wars journey, can't really opt out can you?
Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A scavenger named Rey, a deserting stormtrooper called Finn, and ace pilot Poe Dameron unite to face the First Order. It is a high-octane race to restore hope to the galaxy that features the return of the Han Solo and Chewbacca.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi: This chapter pushes the story into uncharted territory as Rey seeks to understand the Force by tracking down a reclusive Luke Skywalker on a remote island. While Resistance heroes face devastating odds, the film delivers some of the most shocking revelations and stunning visuals in the franchise.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: As the grand finale to the nine-film saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker centres on a final battle for freedom where the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance as old conflicts resurface and new legends are born. The story follows Rey (Daisy Ridley) as she seeks to understand her destiny while the Resistance heroes, including former stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) and ace pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), face devastating odds against the First Order. As old enemies return from the shadows, the journey leads to a definitive, lightning-filled confrontation on a cinematic scale, bringing the landmark Skywalker saga to its conclusion. This chapter serves as a high-stakes race for freedom, featuring the return of characters like Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and the legacy of Han Solo, ensuring that the story of a new generation of heroes ends in a final showdown.
The series to binge
If the movies are your gateway to a galaxy far, far away, the series are where things get addictive. This is where Star Wars stretches out, and this is also the universe that spawned the Baby Yoda merchandise (we're forever grateful).
The Mandalorian
A dash of lone gunslinger energy, but in space, with more armour and fewer words. Set after the fall of the Empire, it follows a bounty hunter trying to mind his own business, something the galaxy refuses to let him do. Across three seasons, it delivers cinematic shootouts, unexpected heart, and Grogu (aka Baby Yoda), who basically hijacked the entire internet and never gave it back.
Andor
Oh this is immensely popular and for good reason. Spanning two seasons, it follows Cassian Andor through a world of espionage, rebellion, and increasingly bad life choices that somehow add up to heroism. Less space fantasy, more grounded tension, with enough moral complexity to make you question who’s really 'good' here.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
Darth Maul is back. Set after The Clone Wars, this new chapter follows him trying to rebuild a criminal empire in the shadows, which sounds suspiciously like a very intense business plan. Things get complicated when a disillusioned Jedi Padawan enters the picture, setting off a volatile mix of revenge, ambition, and extremely bad decision-making.
