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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Screen & Stage • Series

Star Wars

Star Wars is a long-running American science fiction film series created by George Lucas.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Star Wars is a long-running American science fiction film series created by George Lucas. Its core story, the Skywalker Saga, spans nine episodic films released between 1977 and 2019.

What it is

Star Wars is a major film franchise centred on a serial narrative about the Skywalker family and galactic conflicts. It has become one of the most influential and commercially successful science fiction properties in popular culture. The franchise is also widely distributed in Canada, where it has a strong audience and cultural presence.

Film structure

The series is grouped into three trilogies: the original (1977–1983), prequel (1999–2005), and sequel (2015–2019). These nine films form the core Skywalker Saga, running from Episode I – The Phantom Menace to Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.

Additional films and canon

Beyond the main saga, canon includes the standalone films Rogue One (2016) and Solo (2018), plus the animated feature The Clone Wars (2008). Modern Star Wars continuity is a unified canon distinct from earlier expanded universe materials now labelled Legends.

In short

  • Created by George Lucas, first film released in 1977.
  • Skywalker Saga comprises nine episodic films in three trilogies.
  • Includes anthology films Rogue One and Solo, plus animated The Clone Wars.
  • Current canon is unified after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm.
Canadian angle

Star Wars films have been widely distributed and screened in Canada, where the franchise has a large audience and strong presence in popular culture.

Quick questions

How many Star Wars movies are there?
The main saga has nine episodic films, and the broader canon film count commonly includes twelve feature films when adding Rogue One, Solo, and The Clone Wars.
What is the first Star Wars movie?
The first released film was Star Wars (1977), later retitled Episode IV – A New Hope.
What is the Skywalker Saga?
The Skywalker Saga is the name for the nine episodic films that follow the Skywalker family across three trilogies.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_films
    Supports: Release order and trilogy structure; identifies the nine episodic films and the original film's later subtitle.
  2. CBR — https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-canon-films-tv-books-comics-games/
    Supports: Breakdown of the Skywalker Saga and release dates for the nine episodic films.
  3. Winter Is Coming — https://winteriscoming.net/posts/all-12-star-wars-movies-in-canon-order
    Supports: List of the 12 canon Star Wars films and placement of The Clone Wars, Rogue One, and Solo.
  4. Wookieepedia — https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars
    Supports: Describes the Skywalker Saga as nine episodic films ending in 2019.
  5. Wookieepedia — https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Canon
    Supports: Explains Star Wars canon and the post-2014 continuity framework.
  6. Rotten Tomatoes — https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/star-wars-movies-in-order/
    Supports: Release dates and trilogy grouping for the main saga.