STAR WARS: New Study Claims To Have Settled The Debate Over The Skywalker Saga's Best And Worst Films

STAR WARS: New Study Claims To Have Settled The Debate Over The Skywalker Saga's Best And Worst Films

The debate about which is the worst - and best - Star Wars movie rages on, & a new study claims to have used a number of metrics to put this discussion to an end once and for all. Here's now they stack up.

By JoshWilding - May 02, 2022 08:05 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: CBR (via SFFGazette.com)

While many Star Wars fans agree that The Empire Strikes Back is the best movie in the main Skywalker Saga, there are plenty of people who favour the opening chapter that started it all. Then, you have fans of Revenge of the Sith, not to mention those who feel the sequels boasted the best characters. 

Long story short, everyone has an opinion on which of the nine movies should be considered best...and worst. Well, a study shared by CBR (via SFFGazette.com) claims to have come up with an answer. Combining metrics such as IMDb scores, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and box office revenue, it comes to the conclusion that the worst Star Wars movie of all time is, unsurprisingly, The Rise of Skywalker.

As for the best, that's supposedly the original Star Wars (A New Hope), though Empire wasn't too far behind. This ranking certainly makes for interesting reading, though the fans who hated the sequel trilogy with a passion may be displeased to see The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi rank so highly. Of course, given the positive critical reaction to both, we're not that surprised.

Here's how they all stack up according to that study:

1. A New Hope
2. The Empire Strikes Back
3. The Force Awakens
4. The Last Jedi
5. Revenge of the Sith
6. Return of the Jedi
7. The Phantom Menace
8. Attack of the Clones
9. The Rise of Skywalker

For the most part, this ranking feels pretty spot on, even if we'd probably place Return of the Jedi above Revenge of the Sith (it's perhaps the more satisfying of the conclusions to each trilogy). 

How would you rank the Skywalker Saga?

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SpaceAgent
SpaceAgent - 5/2/2022, 8:01 AM


This ought to be fun..
PapaSpank54
PapaSpank54 - 5/2/2022, 8:02 AM
Jedi
New Hope
Revenge of the Sith
Empire
Clones
Phantom Menace
TFA
TLJ
TROS
Benjamitesandwich
Benjamitesandwich - 5/2/2022, 8:02 AM
I think that’s fair. The Last Jedi wasn’t nearly my favorite by any means, and though there was quite a bit I didn’t like, there was also quite a bit that was great. Most of its hate is underserved, IMO.
PapaSpank54
PapaSpank54 - 5/2/2022, 8:03 AM
@Benjamitesandwich - I didn't like it, still don't, but I give props to RJ for trying to do something different when handed the keys. Crait was also the most inventive planet in the saga so far.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 5/2/2022, 8:22 AM
@Benjamitesandwich - It went through interesting places, and had really interesting concepts.
Sadly, the execution wasnt great, and Johnson felt the need to troll the fanbase.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 5/2/2022, 8:05 AM
Why does it matter?
OmegaDaGrodd
OmegaDaGrodd - 5/2/2022, 8:09 AM
I have TLJ as #1 but I'm not mad at this list at all. I could even see an argument for TFA or ESB being #1.

Rise of SW being dead last makes sense because that's probably the one SW movie absolutely no one likes. I'm sure SOLO could get that same distinction but I feel like Solo is a movie that most don't vehemently dislike, so it ends up getting the afterthought treatment in a way that Rise is to offensive to receive
TheAstoundingMan
TheAstoundingMan - 5/2/2022, 8:21 AM
@OmegaDaGrodd - Exactly - Solo most often conjures a resounding 'meh', if not a 'why?'. It was pretty mediocre, but also inoffensive enough to avoid drawing the ire of certain fans in the way that some of the mainline entries do so well.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 5/2/2022, 1:11 PM
@OmegaDaGrodd - of course you do
generictheeric
generictheeric - 5/2/2022, 8:12 AM
As someone who isn't very invested in the Star Wars franchise, my list is fairly simple:

1. The Mandalorian
2. Rogue One
3. The Rest
BeyondtheFuture
BeyondtheFuture - 5/2/2022, 8:12 AM
How in the hell do these studies get funded? I struggled to fund a study investigating whether media bias has an impact on the perception of Autism Spectrum Disorder but you can get funding to check which Star Wars movie is the worst? lol
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 5/2/2022, 8:20 AM
3. The Force Awakens
4. The Last Jedi
5. Revenge of the Sith
6. Return of the Jedi

Kyos
Kyos - 5/2/2022, 8:26 AM
1. Original Trilogy
2. The Mandalorian
3. Maybe Star Wars actually just kind of sucks overall?!

bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 5/2/2022, 8:31 AM
TFA and TLJ are probably so high because they did big numbers on the box office. And they are solid movies, just not great Star Wars movies in my opinion.

There is no definitive order for me, but it's definitely Originals > Prequels > Sequels:

1. Revenge of the Sith
2. Empire Strikes Back
3. A New Hope
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Attack of the Clones
6. The Phantom Menace
7. The Last Jedi
8. The Force Awakens
9. The Rise of Skywalker

As much as the prequels get shit on, I still like them so much for the stories they're telling (and yeah, that includes the politics).
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 5/2/2022, 8:41 AM
@bkmeijer1 - I dont agree with the list, but I do agree with your overall post.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 5/2/2022, 8:58 AM
@TheHumanSpider2 - I don't even agree with my own list, as it's probably different next month
pyramosteu
pyramosteu - 5/2/2022, 11:06 AM
@bkmeijer1 - Revenge of the Sith love grows stronger
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/2/2022, 8:38 AM
The Empire Strikes Back
Return Of The Jedi
Star Wars
Rogue One
Revenge Of The Sith
The Force Awakens
Attack Of The Clones
The Phantom Meance
The Last Jedi/Rise Of Skywalker
Solo
Kumkani
Kumkani - 5/2/2022, 8:56 AM
In my opinion, all of them are mostly mediocre to shit. The only one I somewhat enjoyed watching was Rogue One.

MUTO123
MUTO123 - 5/2/2022, 8:57 AM
I go back and forth on whether or not Rise of Skywalker is worse than Attack of the Clones.
Skestra
Skestra - 5/2/2022, 9:32 AM
@MUTO123 - "Rise" was worse. At least "Clones" gave us Aayla Secura.

GeneralZod
GeneralZod - 5/2/2022, 9:04 AM
1. A New Hope
2. The Empire Strikes Back
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. The Force Awakens
5. Return of the Jedi
6. The Rise of Skywalker
7. The Phantom Menace
8. Attack of the Clones
9. The Last Jedi


pintoman
pintoman - 5/2/2022, 9:15 AM
1. Star Wars 1977 (no bloody "A New Hope" titling). Han shot first.
2. Empire Strikes Back
3. Return of the Jedi
4. Prequel 01
5. Prequel 02
6. Prequel 03
7. NA
8. NA
9. NA
Nightwing1015
Nightwing1015 - 5/2/2022, 9:23 AM
ROTJ being less than TFA and TLJ is insane. The OT is supreme.
WakandanQueen
WakandanQueen - 5/2/2022, 9:26 AM
Return of the Jedi underrated AF. I'd argue it has even more memes than Revenge of the Sith!
LilJimmy
LilJimmy - 5/2/2022, 9:46 AM
None of the ST garbage should ever be above any of the OT films.
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