Star Wars films have been taking audiences to a galaxy far, far away since 1977. Over the past 44 years, only eleven feature-length movies have come to theaters. The galaxy has expanded well beyond that handful of installments in the franchise. Star Wars films don't come often, and their quality can be hit-or-miss. By contrast, there are now more Star Wars books, comics, TV shows, and video games than a person can reliably track, and many of them are incredible. At this point, the movies are really the worst part of the entire franchise.
For anyone looking to delve into the wider array of Star Wars media, finding a starting point can be intimidating. The Star Wars Extended Universe is populated by hundreds of stories in all mediums. When Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, they rebranded the Extended Universe to "Legends," making everything that came out before that point no longer Star Wars canon.
Since then, Disney has re-instated some previous content. The shows The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Resistance are all canon again. Along with that, any content that's been released since 2014 is canon. Disney has released a lot of Star Wars content since 2014. The most reliable way to take the plunge into the deeper canon is to pick a medium you like and find a recommendation. These are some of the best options for books, games, and shows that are in the current canon.
Books
One of the best options for fans looking to fully immerse themselves in the galaxy's lore is to pick up a Star Wars book. Disney has put out dozens of Star Wars books since rebooting the larger canon.
Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott came out in 2019. It looks back at the Republic era of the galaxy. Count Dooku famously appeared as a villain in the prequel trilogy, but he began his journey as a Jedi. This novel follows Dooku's upbringing and eventual turn to the dark side.
One of the most popular books is Thrawn by Timothy Zahn. Released in 2017, Thrawn is set after the fall of the Republic. Thrawn, an admiral in the Empire's navy, is a major villain in the galaxy. This novel details his origin and how he rose in the Empire's ranks so quickly. Thrawn is one of the most popular Star Wars characters of all time, and fans hope to see him brought to life on screen soon.
For those interested in events that happen after the original trilogy, there is Chuck Wendig's Aftermath. The book released in 2015 and quickly became a fan favorite. It explores events that happen between Return of the Jedi and Disney's The Force Awakens.
Video Games
Reading might be the best way to learn more about Star Wars, but video games let you experience the galaxy. Over the years there have been plenty of great Star Wars games. Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic is widely considered the best Star Wars game of all time. It brought fans 4,000 years back into the galaxy's history and let them shape their own path as a Force user. The Battlefront series, which started in 2004, let players experience the galactic war as a regular soldier in the Rebellion or Empire.
Disney has pushed for new games as enthusiastically as they did books. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order came out in 2019. It was developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by EA. The game puts players in control of a Force user once again, but this time the story takes place just after the fall of the Republic. The action-adventure game was so popular that a sequel is already being developed.
In the Star Wars universe, pilots are almost as important as Jedi. Star Wars: Squadrons, developed by Motive Studios and published by EA in 2020, lets fans live out their pilot dreams. The game is focused entirely on generating the thrill of dogfighting in space. Players control an X-Wing or TIE Fighter and take each other on in epic head-to-head battles.
Shows
Arguably the best way to experience the Star Wars universe is to sit back and watch it. Though the movies have an uneven record, and some films like The Last Jedi have sparked controversy, the television shows have been met with positive reception.
The biggest Star Wars show currently running is The Mandolorian. Fans unanimously agree that showrunner Jon Favreau has created something special with this Disney Plus series. The show follows its title character, a bounty hunter living on the edge of galactic society just a handful of years after Return of the Jedi. Two seasons in, The Mandolorian has garnered heaps of praise, and everyone is breathlessly awaiting its third season.
Disney has plenty of upcoming live-action shows generating excitement. But Star Wars has also had some excellent animated series. The best place to start is The Clone Wars. The show picks up immediately after the events of Attack of the Clones, and it is so good it manages to redeem that mess of a film. The Clone Wars is everything that the prequel trilogy could have and should have been. It single-handedly proves that the best Star Wars content doesn't come to theaters.
Turn the Movies Off
For those who want to watch a great Star Wars film, there aren't that many options. Despite being the most successful science-fiction franchise of all time, the movies just aren't that good. The galaxy deserves much better than what the movies have given it. Luckily, there's no shortage of excellent Extended Universe content. Longtime fan or recent additions to the family looking to dive deeper owe it to themselves to turn off the movies and start looking at the best Star Wars has to offer.