The most successful Star Wars films at the box office are primarily measured by their worldwide gross revenue, both in nominal terms and adjusted for inflation. Among the entire Star Wars franchise, which includes the original trilogy, prequel trilogy, sequel trilogy, and standalone anthology films, several titles stand out as the highest earners.
The original 1977 film, later subtitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, is one of the highest-grossing films of all time when adjusted for inflation. It has earned approximately 3.65 billion dollars worldwide in 2024 dollars, placing it fourth on the list of highest-grossing films ever after classics like Gone with the Wind, Avatar, and Titanic[1]. This film launched the franchise and became a cultural phenomenon, setting a high bar for box office success.
The sequel trilogy, produced after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, also achieved remarkable box office results. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) is the highest-grossing film in the Star Wars franchise in nominal terms, with a worldwide gross of over 2 billion dollars and an inflation-adjusted gross of about 2.64 billion dollars[1]. It revitalized the franchise for a new generation and became the top-grossing Star Wars film in recent history.
Other films in the sequel trilogy, such as Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), also performed strongly at the box office, though they did not surpass The Force Awakens. The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker each grossed over a billion dollars worldwide, contributing significantly to the franchise’s overall box office total[3].
The prequel trilogy, which includes Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), also saw substantial box office success. Among these, Revenge of the Sith was the highest-grossing prequel film, earning over 868 million dollars worldwide[2]. While the prequels were sometimes divisive among fans and critics, their box office performance was strong enough to cement the franchise’s continued popularity.
Standalone anthology films have also contributed to the franchise’s box office success. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), directed by Gareth Edwards, grossed over 1 billion dollars worldwide, making it one of the most successful non-Skywalker Saga films[2]. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), while not as successful as Rogue One, still added to the franchise’s overall box office revenue.
Collectively, the Star Wars films have generated over 10 billion dollars in box office revenue worldwide, making Star Wars the third-highest-grossing film franchise in cinematic history[3]. This includes all nine Skywalker Saga films and the anthology movies.
In summary, the most successful Star Wars films at the box office are:
– Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977), with an inflation-adjusted gross of approximately 3.65 billion dollars worldwide[1].
– Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), the highest nominal grosser in the franchise, with over 2 billion dollars worldwide and an inflation-adjusted gross of about 2.64 billion dollars[1].
– Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), which grossed over 1 billion dollars worldwide[2].
– Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), the highest-grossing prequel with over 868 million dollars worldwide[2].
These films represent the peak of Star Wars’ box office success, reflecting the franchise’s enduring popularity and cultural impact over nearly five decades.
