<P> The franchise began in 1977 with the release of the film Star Wars ( later subtitled Episode IV : A New Hope in 1981 ) , which became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon . It was followed by two successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) ; these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy . A prequel trilogy was released between 1999 and 2005 , albeit to mixed reactions from both critics and fans . Another trilogy that continues the story from Return of the Jedi began in 2015 with the release of Star Wars : The Force Awakens . The first eight films were nominated for Academy Awards ( with wins going to the first two films released ) and have been commercial successes , with a combined box office revenue of over US $8.5 billion , making Star Wars the second highest - grossing film series . Spin - off cinematic films include Rogue One ( 2016 ) and Solo : A Star Wars Story ( 2018 ) . </P>
<P> The franchise began in 1977 with the release of the film Star Wars ( later subtitled Episode IV : A New Hope in 1981 ) , which became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon . It was followed by two successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) ; these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy . A prequel trilogy was released between 1999 and 2005 , albeit to mixed reactions from both critics and fans . Another trilogy that continues the story from Return of the Jedi began in 2015 with the release of Star Wars : The Force Awakens . The first eight films were nominated for Academy Awards ( with wins going to the first two films released ) and have been commercial successes , with a combined box office revenue of over US $8.5 billion , making Star Wars the second highest - grossing film series . Spin - off cinematic films include Rogue One ( 2016 ) and Solo : A Star Wars Story ( 2018 ) . </P>
what star wars movie came out before the last jedi
what star wars movie came out before the last jedi
The Empire Strikes Back Episode IV : A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back Episode IV : A New Hope