There are casual fans of the Star Wars movies, and then there are those for which Star Wars is more than a film franchise — it’s a way of life. Whether you fall into one camp or the other, chances are pretty good that you want to watch them all more than once.
If you own the films on Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray, this isn’t a problem, but what if you prefer your movies not to take up any space in your living room? There was a time when it was difficult to watch anything with Star Wars in its name online, but things have changed, and now it’s possible to watch all the Star Wars you could want using a TV and your internet connection. Let’s run through your options.
(Note: These recommendations are for U.S. residents. International availability varies by region.)
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Streaming via subscription
Disney+
Disney has its own streaming service, Disney+, that launched in November 2019 and has already become the streaming destination for all things Star Wars.
The original trilogy, prequel trilogy, and the first two installments of the sequel trilogy can all be found on Disney’s streaming hub, along with spinoff film Rogue One and multiple Star Wars specials and documentaries. Basically, it’s one-stop shopping for Star Wars fans, with only Solo: A Star Wars Story, a few made-for-TV movies, and the latest film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, missing from the service. (The Rise of Skywalker will be available May 4 — yes, Star Wars Day — on Disney+, while Solo will join the streaming service on July 9.)
The library of Star Wars titles on Disney+ is just as comprehensive on the TV side, too.
Popular animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, and Star Wars: Resistance are available in their entirety on the service, as well as some lesser-known shows. Disney also has several new, live-action series available or in development for Disney+, including the first season of The Mandalorian and upcoming shows based on Obi-Wan Kenobi and Rebel spy Cassian Andor from Rogue One.
Netflix
It would be great if we could all just log into our Netflix accounts and queue up our favorite Star Wars films. Unfortunately (for Netflix subscribers), Disney/Lucasfilm knows how valuable the franchise is, and has made Disney+ the sci-fi saga’s streaming home.
If you’re looking to watch Solo: A Star Wars Story, you’re in luck. The 2018 spinoff film will be available on the service until July 9, 2020.
As far as major streaming platforms go, that’s about it. Sadly, none of the Star Wars films are available via subscriptions to Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, or Sling TV.
Disney XD
If you’re a cable or satellite customer, there’s another option for watching the animated series Star Wars Resistance and Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures. Head over to Disney’s XD page, sign in with your cable or satellite provider (assuming you pay for a package that gets the XD channel), and you’ll be able to watch some (but not all) episodes of both shows.
Purchasing digitally
Now that we’ve covered all of the (limited) options for streaming Star Wars content, let’s move on to the most feasible method: Just buying it. If you’re a big fan, purchasing the films digitally isn’t such a bad idea — if you’re going to watch them every year or so, the investment will eventually pay off. Some of the films and TV series are available to rent, but not all of them.
That said, the Movies Anywhere initiative allows users to watch any Disney films purchased digitally from one platform, regardless of where you buy them. It’s a cool program for library consolidation purposes, though we expect that if you’re buying one movie from Amazon, you probably buy most movies from Amazon. Still, with Microsoft joining Movies Anywhere, it means you can buy from any of the sites below, with the exception of YouTube, and watch wherever you want.
Amazon
Amazon is the first place most people go to buy stuff online, and it’s a fine choice for Star Wars fans, too.
Each of the nine feature-length films is available for digital purchase; pricing for HD purchases ranges from $15 to $20, depending which movie you want and which version you want (bonus content, etc.). Full seasons and individual episodes of <em>Clone Wars</em>, <em>Rebels</em>, and <em>Resistance</em> are also available to purchase.
YouTube
YouTube’s Movies section also offers all the official Star Wars content for purchase. You can also rent some Star Wars films from YouTube — unfortunately, that only includes Episode VII, Episode VIII, Rogue One, and Solo for between $4 and $6. Otherwise, you’ll have to take the plunge and buy. As with Amazon, pricing varies between $15 and $20.
If you want to watch Rebels, YouTube is a good place to get it — the whole series is available for purchase, either by season or by episode. High-definition is a bit more expensive, as you might expect. Clone Wars is also here, as is the first season of Resistance.
Google Play
Like Amazon and YouTube, Google has all the movies for you to buy. You can purchase individual movies for $3.99 each, or get the sequel trilogy for $39.99. Fans will probably prefer the $99.99 nine-movie collection with the entire Skywalker Saga.
Google Play also offers Resistance for $1.99 per episode or $29.99 per season. Clone Wars and Rebels are also on Google Play, at a slightly lower per-season price.
iTunes
Apple fans can rent or buy movies using the iTunes store. There you’ll find titles like Clone Wars, Rebels, and Resistance, as well as the entire nine-movie Skywalker Saga. If you’re a fan of high-resolution viewing, you’ll need to remember that not all content is available in standard definition, so you may need to look elsewhere for your 4K fix.
Microsoft
Microsoft offers similar rental and purchase options for Windows and Xbox One users. For Star Wars fans, the Microsoft Store features a more limited offering than the competition. For example, it doesn’t include any animated series, which may be disappointing to some fans. Fans of the feature films will find them priced similarly to other options mentioned above. Users can purchase the movie itself or spend a little more to unlock hours of cool bonus content. Microsoft also provides a sequel trilogy bundle meaning you get three films for $39.99, or you can opt for the nine-movie bundle with the entire Skywalker Saga.
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