Considering the incredible history and popularity of the Star Wars franchise, it can be tough to pick out the best movie. There are some obvious favorites and some that are known to be far less liked by longtime fans but the ranking everyone has is usually different from top to bottom.
Thankfully, these fans have taken to Ranker to vote on which Star Wars film they believe is truly the best. Although this isn't the definitive ranking of the franchise, it is a good way to gauge what thousands of ionate fans feel about the live-action films, whether you agree or disagree.
Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)
Following the divisive Episode VIII, it seems like JJ Abrams and the rest of the team behind the sequel trilogy tried to change too much. Since fans weren't pleased with the previous film, The Rise of Skywalker went in the complete opposite direction.
Unfortunately, that didn't really work out because it just meant that the sequel trilogy didn't make much sense. It was always a tall task to wrap up the Skywalker Saga and while this brought in the voices of iconic Jedi in the final confrontation, fans clearly still had major issues with it.
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
As noted, sidetracked beloved characters like Poe and Finn with lackluster side stories.
On the flip side, most have agreed that the storyline between Rey and Kylo was well done, giving fans a new connection between Jedi that hadn't been explored yet. Although it ranks low among the franchise, there's also no doubting the gorgeous visuals that Rian Johnson brought to things.
Episode II: Attack Of The Clones (2002)
Long before the sequel trilogy got dissed by fans, it was the prequels that were widely panned. Attack of the Clones kind of doubled down on some of the problems fans had with Episode I including things like focusing too much on the political side of the tale.
While the love story between Anakin Skywalker and Pé Amidala is incredibly important to the franchise, many agree that it didn't work in this film. This is also a Star Wars movie that doesn't hold up well given the CGI of the time.
Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
It is hard to think of a movie that had more excitement behind it than The Phantom Menace. Fans had waited more than two decades to possibly get more Star Wars but when it finally happened, it couldn't live up to the lofty expectations.
There were strong aspects here with the most notable being the spectacular lightsaber battle between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Darth Maul. Alas, audiences couldn't get behind things like the midi-chlorians concept, the writing/acting of young Anakin, and the political side of things.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
After Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars, they made the Legends books non-canon and released the sequel trilogy along with some movies on the side. The second of those was Solo, which tells the origin story of the iconic Han Solo.
The film was met with positive reviews and worked as a fun space Western led by a strong cast, with Donald Glover and Emilia Clarke standing out. The problem was that Han Solo is a character who didn't need this story told as he's better off being mysterious. It also didn't help that the movie ended up being a massive box office failure.
Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
The sequel trilogy was always going to be a major hit in of box office numbers but one that would be tricky to pull off. It is next to impossible to live up to the original films and is also tough to erase what fans of the Legends timeline loved and try to do something better.
For the most part, The Force Awakens nailed it and is widely seen as the best entry in the sequel trilogy. It hit on familiar aspects of the 1977 original but provided great introductions for Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo while also paying homage to Han, Chewbacca, Leia, and Luke.
Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith (2005)
Whatever issues folks have with the prequel trilogy, most agree that the third installment is the best. In a lot of ways, Episode I and II could've been one movie, while Revenge of the Sith had enough story to fill two films, with the majority of it being extremely important.
This features the execution of Order 66, the story of Darth Plageius, and Anakin's final fall to the dark side of the Force. It all culminated with an emotionally driven and exciting lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin that fans still talk about today.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
While the sequel and prequel trilogies have their detractors, the majority of Star Wars fans concur that Rogue One is the best film in the franchise of the Disney era. On paper, this didn't seem like it needed to be made as it tells the story of the group that stole the Death Star plans ahead of A New Hope.
However, it ended up making for a fantastic adventure tale led by a talented cast. Some of the battle sequences felt fresh for the series, the characters were likable and tragic, and there was an emotional pull to everything that captivated audiences. Plus, it features an incredible Darth Vader scene.
Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi (1983)
Of course, longtime fans of the franchise ultimately went with the original trilogy as the best of the bunch. Return of the Jedi had to close out story arcs that spread across two of the most iconic and well-received movies of all time.
With a lot riding on its shoulders, it mostly pulled that off. Some fans don't love the scenes on Endor with the Ewoks but the Vader/Luke/Sidious tale is some of the best Star Wars storytelling in history.
Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
It can be extremely difficult to top the original. In 1977, Star Wars changed the game with groundbreaking special effects, a gripping story, and characters who quickly became beloved. For many fans, this still holds up as the best and they didn't even need sequels.
From the introduction of the relatable Luke Skywalker to the coolest guy around in Han Solo to a badass woman in Princess Leia to a menacing villain in Darth Vader, this movie set the tone going forward. Without it, the entire landscape of pop culture would look wildly different.
