Star Wars: The Force Awakens is tied for the highest Tomatometer score among the 11 live-action theatrical Star Wars films released through 2019. Its 93% rating matches A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. This ranking uses Rotten Tomatoes critics’ scores from a snapshot taken October 2, 2026; ties remain ties.
Every live-action Star Wars movie ranked
The list below covers the 11 live-action theatrical films released from 1977 through The Rise of Skywalker. It excludes the animated theatrical feature The Clone Wars. Tomatometer is the percentage of published critic reviews classified as positive; it is not an average star rating or a measure of box-office success.
![Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens [Blu-ray] [2020] [Region Free]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51TDN08IBYL._SL160_.jpg)
![Star Wars: Sequel Trilogy Episodes VII-IX (Episode VII The Force Awakens / Episode VIII The Last Jedi / Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker [Blu-ray] [Region Free]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51qxu1LQ-fL._SL160_.jpg)
| Rank | Film | Year | Tomatometer | Reviews | Audience score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tie) | Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope | 1977 | 93% | 210 | 96% Popcornmeter |
| 1 (tie) | Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back | 1980 | 93% | 176 | 97% Popcornmeter |
| 1 (tie) | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | 2015 | 93% | 447 | 84% Popcornmeter |
| 4 | Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi | 2017 | 91% | not stated | 41% Popcornmeter |
| 5 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | 2016 | 84% | 460 | 87% Popcornmeter |
| 6 | Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi | 1983 | 83% | 169 | 94% Popcornmeter |
| 7 | Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | 2005 | 79% | 335 | 66% Popcornmeter |
| 8 | Solo: A Star Wars Story | 2018 | 69% | 489 | 63% Popcornmeter |
| 9 | Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones | 2002 | 62% | 327 | 56% Popcornmeter |
| 10 | Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | 1999 | 54% | 290 | 59% Popcornmeter |
| 11 | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | 2019 | 51% | 522 | 86% verified-audience score |
Rotten Tomatoes scores can change as reviews are added or recalculated, so this is a dated snapshot rather than a permanent league table.
What The Force Awakens’ 93% means
A critical tie with the original trilogy’s top entries
The Force Awakens shares the table’s highest Tomatometer result with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Its 447-review sample is also larger than the samples listed for either original-trilogy leader, making the numerical tie especially notable while still not proving that critics viewed the films as interchangeable.
#1 Best Overall
- Seventh film in the STAR WARS saga. Storyline under wraps. (unofficial)
Critics and audiences were less aligned
The film’s 84% Popcornmeter is below the 96% and 97% audience scores for the two 93% original films. That gap shows why a critics’ ranking and a fan-preference ranking can produce different orders.
Basic film details
- Release date: December 18, 2015
- Rating: PG-13
- Running time: 2 hours 16 minutes
- Director: J.J. Abrams
- Writers: J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt
Set 30 years after the Battle of Endor, the film introduces Rey, a scavenger whose discovery of emerging powers draws her into the First Order’s conflict with the Resistance, including the threat posed by Kylo Ren.
Rank #2
![Star Wars: The Force Awakens [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD] Collectible Packaging + Exclusive Bonus Content](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510iBGmzRlL._SL160_.jpg)
- Collectible Packaging + Exclusive Bonus Content
How the eras compare
Original trilogy
The first three films occupy the top three Tomatometer positions, although Return of the Jedi sits at 83%, below the 93% scores of its predecessors. Its 94% audience score remains substantially higher than its critics’ percentage.
Sequel trilogy
The Last Jedi is the next-highest sequel at 91%. The Force Awakens therefore leads the trilogy by Tomatometer, while The Rise of Skywalker is last overall at 51%. The finale’s 86% verified-audience score is far higher than its critics’ result, an unusually large split in this set.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRank #3
Prequel trilogy
The prequels improve in release order: The Phantom Menace scores 54%, Attack of the Clones 62%, and Revenge of the Sith 79%. Audience scores do not follow the same progression: 59%, 56% and 66%, respectively.
Anthology films
Rogue One is the strongest spin-off in this comparison at 84%, followed by Solo at 69%. Their scores should be compared with each other as anthology films as well as with the numbered episodes, since they serve different narrative purposes.
Rank #4
![Star Wars: The Force Awakens [Blu-ray] [2015] [Region Free]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51vpYCggj6L._SL160_.jpg)
- Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk DOES NOT have English audio and subtitles.
Tomatometer versus audience score
Tomatometer answers whether critics’ reviews were positive. Popcornmeter and verified-audience figures reflect audience reception. Neither is a complete quality measurement, and the two can diverge sharply: The Last Jedi has 91% from critics but 41% from the listed audience measure, while The Rise of Skywalker has 51% from critics and 86% from verified audiences.
- Use Tomatometer when you want a critics’ consensus.
- Use the audience measure when fan response is more relevant to your decision.
- Compare films within the same trilogy or format before drawing conclusions across eras.
- Treat equal percentages as ties, not as evidence that one tied film is superior.
Recommended viewing order
For a first viewing, release order preserves the story’s reveals and follows the franchise’s official sequence:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Best Value
- A New Hope (1977)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Return of the Jedi (1983)
- The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- The Force Awakens (2015)
- Rogue One (2016)
- The Last Jedi (2017)
- Solo (2018)
- The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Disney+ carries Star Wars films and series, but catalog availability varies by territory and can change. For a physical copy, check the exact region and edition of The Force Awakens Blu-ray before buying; Rotten Tomatoes’ film page includes a Blu-ray trailer.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
