How to Watch Star Wars Without Cable

When the original “Star Wars” came out in 1977, it changed movies forever. The then-revolutionary special effects and the perfectly paced story combined to create something new and unexpected that still felt classic. To steal the movie's opening lines, “Star Wars” managed to feel like it had come from “a galaxy far, far away,” while also feeling like something timeless from “a long time ago.” More than 40 years later, that original movie (now called “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”) has spawned a vast universe of sequels, prequels, TV show spin-offs, and more (not to mention a whole lot of merchandising). There's so much “Star Wars” to watch these days! But where can you watch “Star Wars” online? Where should “Star Wars” fans turn to check out their favorite “Star Wars” movies and TV shows without having to buy Blu-Ray discs or subscribe to cable or satellite? That's what we're here to talk about! Here's where to stream “Star Wars” movies and TV shows right now.

How to watch Star Wars movies and TV shows online

When we talk about where to stream “Star Wars” content, the conversation starts with the first item on our list below: Disney Plus. Disney promises that Disney Plus will be the “forever home” of all “Star Wars” content. As of this writing, all the “Star Wars” films have left streaming services like Netflix. There are still marketplace-style streaming services that will allow fans to rent or buy “Star Wars” movies as digital copies; we'll cover those, too!

It is also worth noting that Lucasfilm has previously placed the “Star Wars” series on network TV, most recently on Disney-owned networks like Disney Channel. You can always watch Disney Channel and other Disney-owned networks live by using a live TV streaming service like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, or YouTube TV. With that said, Disney appears to be closing up shop on network “Star Wars” shows. Some, like “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (which originally aired on Cartoon Network and finished its most recent season on Netflix way back in 2014) are being given new life as Disney Plus streaming exclusives. Meanwhile, new shows like “The Mandalorian” and “The Bad Batch” are premiering on Disney Plus as well, leaving nothing for network TV channels.

Alright, enough prologue — on to the list!

Disney Plus exists because Disney owns so much great content — including, thanks to its earlier acquisition of Lucasfilm, all things “Star Wars.” So it makes sense that the “Star Wars” franchise figures prominently in Disney Plus’ offerings. You'll be able to find every “Star Wars” film on Disney Plus, as well as “Star Wars: Rebels” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” On top of that, Disney Plus is churning out all-new “Star Wars” content — most notably “The Mandalorian.” That show’s third season is on the way, though it may not come out until 2022. Our Disney Plus review can tell you more about what we do (and don’t) like about this service.

Amazon Video (rent or buy)

Disney isn't about to let Amazon stream “Star Wars” movies and TV shows on its Amazon Prime Video on-demand service. But Amazon fans can still enjoy “Star Wars” in their favorite app — as long as they're willing to pay a little for it. Amazon's video marketplace is one of the several options that viewers have for renting or buying digital copies of “Star Wars” movies and TV show episodes. But be warned that not every “Star Wars” movie is on Amazon Video. One notable exception is “Episode IV,” which is not available to rent or buy on Prime as of this writing.

Apple TV (rent or buy)

Apple is using its Apple TV branding on a lot of things these days. Here, we're talking about Apple's digital video marketplace. Apple is in the process of killing off iTunes (RIP) and is now calling its video marketplace Apple TV (the same name that it uses for its streaming hardware and its streaming subscription hub). You can rent and buy digital copies of “Star Wars” films and TV show episodes on Apple TV. (One more thing: Some platforms will still use iTunes while Apple makes the transition.)

Google Play (rent or buy)

Google Play offers a digital video marketplace, too. Like its competitors, it includes “Star Wars” titles among those that fans can rent or purchase in digital form. As with all of these sorts of marketplaces, buying or renting a “Star Wars” flick will allow you to watch it on any compatible device.

YouTube

Before Disney Plus was announced, Disney was hard at work producing “Star Wars: Forces of Destiny,” an original animated series set in the “Star Wars” universe. The series was released on Disney's YouTube page, though it’s now also on Disney Plus. It ran for two seasons, and you can watch them all with a free YouTube account, so there's no need to invest in ad-free YouTube Premium or live TV streaming service YouTube TV — though you are free to do so if you'd like!

Can I watch Star Wars movies and TV shows on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Chromecast?

It's great that you can stream “Star Wars” movies and TV shows, but there are still big questions to ask here — like about which devices you can use to stream all of this “Star Wars” goodness. Good news: You have a ton of options for streaming “Star Wars” movies and TV shows on convenient devices and in any spot from your living room to a galaxy far, far away (as long as that galaxy has Wi-Fi).

More to Watch for “Star Wars” Fans

“Star Wars” is such a beloved cultural institution that it even has its own holiday. That’s right; we’re talking about May the Fourth. But if you like good science fiction, there’s a lot more to explore outside the “Star Wars” universe. It may not be the first show that comes to mind, but “Futurama” is a cult classic that got canceled twice, once by FOX and then, finally, by Comedy Central. But before it left the air, this animated comedy gave us seven seasons of greatness, and you can find out more by clicking over to our “Where to Watch ‘Futurama’ Online” page. May the Fry be with you!