The term “cinematic universe” is most closely associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe these days, but one could argue that George Lucas and his Star Wars saga laid the path for the MCU to follow, even before Disney acquired the rights to both franchises and began producing Star Wars TV shows.
Beyond its nine main films of the Skywalker Saga and two standalone films Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Star Wars universe has served as the setting for numerous animated films and shows, comic books and novels, video games, tabletop and trading card games, theme park attractions and more.
So, with the rise of streaming services, it’s no surprise that the Star Wars universe is expanding even further into standalone TV shows on Disney+.
But catching up on the adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, Boba Fett and a whole galaxy of other heroes, villains and anti-heroes requires a sizeable time investment. Here’s our guide to the Star Wars shows released so far, and which ones we think are the absolute best.
Star Wars Shows and Spinoffs, Ranked
So, which of the new Star Wars shows tops our list? Let’s find out.
1. ‘The Mandalorian’
It’s no coincidence that The Mandalorian was the first original live action series set in the Star Wars universe that Disney+ released when it launched in November 2019, and it tops our list of the best Star Wars shows to date, too.
The Mandalorians are legendary and proud warriors dedicated to martial perfection who met a tragic end that brought their race to the brink of extinction at the hands of the Galactic Empire, and they’ve always been fan-favorites. A Mandalorian bounty hunter was used as the genetic template for the franchise’s infamous Imperial Stormtroopers, and their unmistakably distinct armor has always given them an air of mystique.
In The Mandalorian, we finally find out who’s under the helmet of at least one of those armored suits: the bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), who comes into the charge of Grogu, a young member of the same race as legendary Jedi master Yoda who boasts the same prowess with the Force.
Now running three seasons strong and with a fourth planned, The Mandalorian showed us that there’s plenty more to the Star Wars universe beyond the core films and set the bar for the excellence in television-film crossover universe building.
2. ‘Andor’
A prequel story to the well-received Rogue One, Andor received more positive acclaim and reviews than any other Star Wars show released so far, and for good reason.
Andor follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), one of the main characters in Rogue One and an early member of the fledgling Rebel Alliance, from street scoundrel to rebel leader as the Alliance comes together. It’s another one of the few Star Wars installments that focuses
Despite having such a niche character focus, Andor‘s dark tone and deeply political messaging – it’s a scathing critique of the fascism embodied by the Empire – resonated with audiences. The show also follows in The Mandalorian‘s footsteps by focusing more on the guys on the ground and the everyday impact of the Galactic Empire’s reign. These characters don’t have the Force-wielding clout of a Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader, but nonetheless play a pivotal role in the franchise’s story and the galaxy’s fate.
3. ‘Ahsoka’
Ahsoka follows Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and her fiery and reluctant padawan, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) as they race to stop the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelson), the presumptive heir to the Galactic Empire following the deaths of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi.
It’s a spinoff of the Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars animated series and crosses over with The Mandalorian through the characters of Ahsoka and Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), the show’s primary antagonist for much of the first half of its runtime. You’ll love to hate Thrawn as he foils the heroes’ attempts to foil his own plans time and again, and the late Ray Stevenson’s fallen Jedi Baylan Skroll is a breakout character.
4. ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’
The last we saw of Obi-Wan Kenobi until he finds Luke Skywalker laying in the Tatooine sand in A New Hope was him standing mournfully over a defeated, burning Anakin Skywalker on a volcano planet, just prior to the birth of Luke and Leia Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith.
Obi-Wan Kenobi fills in the blanks between those two moments, following Kenobi on a mission to rescue Leia and return her to Alderaan while avoiding Jedi hunters and Darth Vader himself.
This show reunites Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen as they reprise their roles from the prequel trilogy. The pair have multiple emotional encounters as an aging Obi-Wan is hunted by Vader like a lion, adding loads more depth to their already fraught relationship.
5. ‘The Book of Boba Fett’
We’ve all been asking it since 1983: what happened to Boba Fett? Did he really die after falling into the Sarlaac pit? Fett is a character that has developed a serious cult following since his brief appearances as a minor character in the original trilogy. He received an origin story in the prequel movies, and his popularity has only grown since.
The Book of Boba Fett answers our acid-burning question: he didn’t die after all. In fact, in true Fett fashion, he clawed his way out and went on to become a de facto crime boss in Mos Eisley, taking up residence in the late Jabba the Hutt’s palace and ruffling feathers with nearly everyone he met during that time. The show’s exploration of Tuscan raider culture also adds a layer of depth to the universe by putting a spotlight on the origin story to a niche but iconic species.
The series has plenty of tie-ins to The Mandalorian, considering Boba Fett’s character is reintroduced in the second season of that series, played by Temuera Morrison. Morrison played Boba’s father, Jango Fett, in the prequel trilogy.
This series does take an odd detour about halfway through when our friends Din Djarin and Grogu show up (an entire episode of the series is nearly completely devoid of Boba Fett himself), which makes it feel a bit unfocused and more like a half-season of The Mandalorian at times. It’s at the bottom of this list for that reason.
Upcoming Star Wars Shows
Of course, these five shows aren’t the end of Disney’s foray into the wider galaxy of the Star Wars universe. Far, far from it, in fact. There are numerous other Star Wars shows either in production or planned to satisfy our lightsaber-swinging, laser-blasting, Wookiee-roaring needs.
Here’s a quick look at what we know about Disney’s upcoming roadmap of new Star Wars shows.
‘The Acolyte’
As nearly every entry in the Star Wars franchise has informed us, Star Wars happened a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Now, The Acolyte is set to take us even further back in time. All the way back to the very beginnings of the Jedi Order that plays a central role in all of the events of the story so far. It’ll the earliest chronological entry in the franchise so far.
The Acolyte follows Jedi Master Sol, played by Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) as he investigates a crime spree during the High Republic era of Star Wars, about 100 years prior to the events of the prequel trilogy. This sleuthing brings him into conflict with a former Jedi padawan who has since become a powerful warrior.
‘Skeleton Crew’
Skeleton Crew will follow four children who make a discovery on their home planet and find themselves lost in the galaxy. They’re aided in their attempts to find a way home by a force-wielding adult played by Jude Law. Marti Matulis will also reprise his Mandalorian season three role as Vane, the space pirate.
‘Andor’ (Season 2)
Andor‘s second season will close out the series, and production wrapped in early 2024. The season will continue the story from season one and chronicle events up to the beginning of Cassian’s ill-fated but all-important mission in Rogue One.
‘Ahsoka’ (Season 2)
We were left with Ahsoka and Sabine in a bit of a sticky situation at the end of Ahsoka season one, and season two is expected to pick up right where we left off. The season has been confirmed, but details on plot and cast are few right now.
Upcoming Star Wars Movies
‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’
If you couldn’t get enough of “Baby Yoda” in The Mandalorian, Disney has you covered: there’s a feature-length film in production right now that follows the continued adventures of Grogu and Din Djarin set to his theaters some time in 2026.
The “Mando-Verse” Movie
The plot lines of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett and, if rumors are true, Skeleton Crew are all intertwined, and they’re all expected to coalesce in an Avengers-style supergroup movie featuring the struggle of the New Republic against a resurgent Imperial Remnant. It’ll be directed by Dave Filoni, who also directed Ahsoka.
‘Rogue Squadron’
This one is a bit speculative but think Top Gun in space. This film is expected to follow a squad of starfighter pilots from, as the title suggests, the famous Rogue Squadron.
‘Lando’
Han Solo got his own movie. Why not Lando Calrissian? This was initially intended to be a streaming series following the pre-Empire Strikes Back trials and travails of the beloved Cloud City governor, original Millenium Falcon owner and eventual rebel hero, but it’s since been transitioned to a feature film. Donald Glover, who portrayed Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story, will write the film along with his brother Steven Glover.
Watch Star Wars Shows on DIRECTV
Did you know you can watch every Star Wars show on Disney+ right from DIRECTV? Click below to learn how!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created the Star Wars franchise?
Writer and director George Lucas created the Star Wars movies.
How many Star Wars movies are there?
Nine main films and two standalone films.
How many Star Wars shows have been released?
To date, five live-action shows, with a total of seven seasons have been released through Disney+.
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