Star Wars to Officially Replace Episode I as Its Live-Action Chronological Watch Order Leadoff

Star Wars has a new beginning as Episode I – The Phantom Menace is no longer the first live-action project in the timeline.

Since its 1999 release, The Phantom Menace has been the first chapter of the Star Wars saga and the starting point for watching the series chronologically.

But on Tuesday, June 4, that all changes.

Star Wars Chronological Watch Order Changes

When Lucasfilm’s next live-action Disney+ show, The Acolyte, makes its June 4 debut, The Phantom Menace will no longer stand as the first live-action story on the Star Wars timeline.

Created by Leslye Headland and starring Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte is set at the end of the High Republic and about 100 years before The Phantom Menace.

Therefore, Lucasfilm’s first live-action series for 2024 will replace The Phantom Menace as the starting point for the chronological Star Wars watch order.

Still, it’s important to note that the upcoming show is only the earliest on-screen story in terms of live-action Star Wars projects.

The animated Young Jedi Adventures series is also set in the High Republic era and centuries before Episode I.

Also, Episodes 1 through 3 of Tales of the Jedi featuring Count Dooku’s younger years occur before the beginning of The Phantom Menace.

Will The Acolyte Launch More High Republic Stories?

Within Star Wars lore, the High Republic era is a time of peace in the galaxy and when the Jedi Order is at its height.

To date, this unique era has largely been limited to books and comics; but while The Acolyte is Lucasilm’s first effort to portray it in live-action, it may not be the last.

According to The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic (Volume One), success with the High Republic era could “open up new storytelling opportunities beyond the page.”

No doubt Disney and Lucasfilm will be watching to see how Star Wars fans respond to this new on-screen period and whether interest warrants future projects.

It’s also important to note that The Acolyte may not hold its spot on the timeline for long.

At the 2023 Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm announced James Mangold’s Jedi origins film set roughly 25,000 years before Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace.

Lucasfilm has yet to announce that future film’s release date.

The Acolyte arrives on Tuesday, June 4 on Disney+.