The 12 Best Star Wars Spin-Offs, Ranked

For decades, the "Star Wars" franchise has stood as one of the biggest and most beloved science fiction franchises in the world, a distinction that has only grown over time. The main storyline within "Star Wars" is the Skywalker Saga, a nine-film series spanning three trilogies that launched the franchise in 1977. Of course, given the space opera property's ubiquitous success, the franchise has grown to include numerous spin-off movies and television shows. The history of these spin-offs dates as far back as the infamous 1978 "Star Wars Holiday Special," but subsequent expansions of the franchise have been much better received.

The amount of "Star Wars" spin-offs has drastically increased over the past several years, continuing the legacy of the franchise since the Skywalker Saga's conclusion in 2019. This expansion has primarily been on television, with both acclaimed live-action and animated projects set in the universe's various time periods. But there have also been a handful of spin-off movies, some as beloved as movies within the Skywalker Saga itself. 

With all that in mind, here are the 12 best "Star Wars" spin-offs ranked, highlighting the shows and movies outside the main Skywalker Saga.

As the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy gained traction, the all-age friendly "Star Wars Resistance" animated series helped fill out the galaxy's stories during this time period. Taking place approximately six months before "The Force Awakens," the show had hotshot New Republic pilot Kaz Xiono (Christopher Sean) recruited by the Resistance to spy on the First Order. Kaz's activities are centered around the Colossus, a refueling station on the ocean planet of Castilon frequented by racers from different factions. As the series progresses, it takes place during "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi," ending in the lead-up to "The Rise of Skywalker."

Compared to the more Force-centric animated series that preceded it, "Resistance" offers a nice change of pace focusing primarily on the death-defying pilots of the "Star Wars" universe. The Force inevitably does figure into some stories, particularly as the First Order's presence becomes more prominent, but its fighter pilot-based narrative remains front and center. Initially geared towards younger audiences, like other animated series in the franchise, the story's tone matures as it advances towards its explosive finale. The most underrated "Star Wars" animated series, "Resistance" fills out the sequel trilogy era in a way that other ancillary material has yet to achieve.

There's always been a wish-fulfillment angle to "Star Wars," with younger characters playing a vital role in saving the galaxy as they come of age and discover their own potential. That theme becomes more pronounced in the 2024 live-action series "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew," set approximately five years after the events of "Return of the Jedi." After restless youth Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) discovers an abandoned spaceship with his friends on the outskirts of their suburban neighborhood, they accidentally blast off into deep space. This leads them to cross paths with Force-sensitive scoundrel Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) and greedy space pirates.

"Skeleton Crew" unabashedly takes a significant amount of influence from the classic '80s Amblin movies and their own freewheeling coming-of-age stories. Space pirates and smugglers have been baked into the "Star Wars" DNA since the beginning and this show blows up those elements considerably. As a suspicious mentor to the young cast, Jude Law's Jod Na Nawood adds some appreciated moral ambiguity to the proceedings, playfully dangerous and unpredictable throughout the show. A family-friendly good time, "Skeleton Crew" eschews the more self-serious tone taken on by its contemporaries to revel in the sheer fun of the franchise.

A spin-off from the 2008 "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and its revival seasons, "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" follows the misfit squad of Clone Troopers from the prior series. Deemed defective by the Republic due to various genetic mutations during the cloning process, the unit's unique condition makes them immune to their fellow clones' mental programming. As the Galactic Empire rises to power in the wake of Clone Wars' conclusion, the Bad Batch, as they are nicknamed, form a traveling mercenary troupe. The group goes on the run as they take in a female clone of Jango Fett, named Omega (Michelle Ang), who is wanted by the Empire for her special genetics.

"The Bad Batch" really is a showcase for Dee Bradley Baker, who voices all the members of the titular squad, giving each their own personality while retaining their cloned baseline. Along with Omega, this discarded ensemble forms a firm found family, a feature that's reinforced over the show's three seasons. And in comparison to preceding animated shows, it's fascinating to see how well "The Bad Batch" ties into other "Star Wars" stories later in the timeline. Arguably the most lore-heavy animated series in the franchise to date, "The Bad Batch" is the true successor to "The Clone Wars."

While overshadowed by its CG animated successor, 2003's "Star Wars: Clone Wars" brought its own unique look at the defining conflict of the prequel trilogy. Developed by "Samurai Jack" and "Primal" creator Genndy Tartakovsky, the 2D animated series followed the Jedi Order in the midst of the Clone Wars between Episodes II and III. The first season consisted of episodes that were less than five minutes each, and usually without much dialogue. The second season brought the episode runtimes to just over 10 minutes each while tying directly into the events of "Revenge of the Sith."

With its minimalist approach, the 2003 "Clone Wars" really proved that sometimes less is more, even when telling stories set in that galaxy far, far away. The first season echoes Tartakovsky's more distinct storytelling style, letting the action do the heavy lifting in conveying the narrative. This is supported by the show's tightly choreographed action set pieces, showcasing the next-level capabilities of the Jedi in battle. An unsung animated project in the franchise compared to its longer-running counterparts, the original "Clone Wars" was a no-frills masterpiece.

The 2008 animated movie "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" introduced Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker's Padawan that he trained before he turned to the dark side. "The Mandalorian" brought the character into live-action, played by Rosario Dawson, confirming the wayward Jedi Knight had survived the events of the original trilogy. Dawson reprised her role in "Star Wars: Ahsoka," with Ahsoka and her apprentice Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) scrambling to stop the return of Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). This mission takes them beyond their home galaxy, reuniting them with other familiar faces from the animated series "Star Wars Rebels."

More of a sequel series to "Rebels" than anything else, "Ahsoka" moves at a deliberate pace to assemble its cast and pick up the previous show's dangling plot threads. Dawson remains excellent in her portrayal of Ahsoka Tano, getting more opportunities to explore different facets of the character than she had in prior appearances. But really, once the elements of "Rebels" converge halfway through the first season, it's clear this show is developing something genuinely special and epic for fans. With the second season poised to have even bigger showdowns, "Ahsoka" confidently leads the future of "Star Wars" on television.

Given how vast the "Star Wars" lore is, the franchise is ripe for anthology series and the 2002 animated series "Star Wars Tales" takes advantage of that potential. With that in mind, each season of "Tales" takes on a different title and primary cast as it explores two separate stories within the franchise's timeline. The first season, "Tales of the Jedi," reveals the backstories of Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) and Count Dooku (Corey Burton). The second and third seasons explore darker thematic territory, exploring characters within the rise of the Empire and the galaxy's criminal underworld, respectively.

What "Star Wars Tales" consistently does well is highlight fan-favorite characters already established elsewhere in the franchise, and give them just enough spotlight without overstaying their welcome. Often featuring Jedi and other Force-sensitive characters, "Tales" really hit its stride with a third season story focused on mercenary Cad Bane (Corey Burton), emphasizing the character's Western influences. Even beyond Cad Bane, the anthology format allows the show to experiment with tone and go deeper with its characters than had previously been seen. Always providing an entertaining and enlightening tour of the galaxy and several of its familiar faces, "Star Wars Tales" is another animated triumph for the franchise.

The first "Star Wars" show after Lucasfilm's acquisition by Disney, "Star Wars Rebels" is an animated series set primarily in the lead-up to "A New Hope." As the Rebel Alliance begins to form against the Empire, and Jedi are still hunted by the Sith, the show focuses on the crew of a Rebel freighter, the Ghost. The crew's leader is exiled Jedi Padawan Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), who directs his team to thwart Imperial oppression around the cosmos. The crew particularly finds itself involved in the planet Lothal's struggle against the Empire, playing an active part in its battle for liberation.

"Rebels" is much more serialized than the preceding CG animated series, "The Clone Wars," and it's noticeably darker in tone. Given its premise and timeline placement, the show and its characters have a distinctly scrappier quality befitting the underdog narrative. "Rebels" also serves as a key point in the mythos, connecting elements from the prequel trilogy, "The Clone Wars," and "Rogue One." Featuring a strong misfit ensemble and escalating stakes, "Star Wars Rebels" is an increasingly important part of the franchise's lore.

After "The Force Awakens" completely revitalized the "Star Wars" legacy on the big screen, kickstarting the sequel trilogy in 2015, the following year's "Rogue One" successfully kept the momentum going. Set shortly before the events of "A New Hope," the spin-off movie focused on Rebel Alliance figures Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). Jyn learns her father Galen (Mads Mikkelsen) helped design the Galactic Empire's planet-killing superweapon, the Death Star. After it becomes clear that the weapon is complete, Jyn and Andor lead a ragtag band of soldiers to steal its schematics from a heavily defended Imperial stronghold.

"Rogue One" brings a real grit and moral ambiguity to "Star Wars" in a way that hadn't really existed before, at least not in live-action. The Rebel Alliance is very much in an underdog position throughout the movie, which fuels a sense of urgency and desperation for its characters. If there was ever any doubt that Darth Vader was still an absolutely terrifying presence, the film's bravura final act gleefully dispels that notion. The best cinematic prequel to the original trilogy, if only tangentially, "Rogue One" is arguably the greatest "Star Wars" movie since Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney.

"The Mandalorian" was both the biggest original series in Disney+'s 2019 launch library and proof that "Star Wars" could thrive on television as the sequel trilogy came to an end. Set on the galaxy's Outer Rim region approximately five years after "Return of the Jedi," the show centers on sullen bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). As Din collects bounties around lawless parts of the galaxy, he is hired by remnants of the Empire to recover a Force-sensitive child, Grogu. Instead, Din turns on his client to protect Grogu, making both of them pursued by Imperial troops while Din reconciles with his Mandalorian upbringing.

Compared to the more polished prequel trilogy, "The Mandalorian" brings a real lived-in feeling to the galaxy that helps ground its narrative. And while Westerns were always among the franchise's biggest influences, the show really leans into this with its gunslinging protagonist feeling right out of a spaghetti Western. And with its original character and, at the time, unique place in the timeline, "The Mandalorian" is careful about the pace in which it incorporates familiar elements into its story. Setting the template for most of the live-action "Star Wars" shows to follow, "The Mandalorian" is still the franchise at its best.

If "Star Wars Tales" gives audiences the anthology format with two stories per season, the animated series "Star Wars: Visions" condenses the anthology format to single episodes. Lucasfilm teamed up with animation studios all over the world, encouraging them to retain their unique visual sensibilities while crafting standalone stories throughout the "Star Wars" legacy. The first season primarily is geared around Japanese animation styles, while the second season expands its global influences and collaborators even further. Though the "Star Wars" elements are clearly prominent, the episodes themselves use the franchise as more of a springboard for their inventive stories.

Eclectic and exciting, "Star Wars: Visions" is almost punk rock in a way in how each episode radically reimagines the mythos. Each episode is gorgeously rendered, and no two episodes ever feel the same given its rotating animation studios. Highlights include a fusion of "Star Wars" with feudal Japan and a far-future tale after the fall of the Jedi Order. With its innovative format and partner studios, "Star Wars: Visions" is the perfect anthology series celebrating creativity set in that galaxy far, far away.

In the years following the conclusion of the prequel trilogy, it was animated projects and video games that kept the "Star Wars" franchise thriving until its resurgence under Disney. Leading the charge was the 2008 animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," spinning out of a feature film released earlier that year. As the title suggests, the show filled in the five-year galaxy-spanning conflict in between "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith." The primary crux of the story featured Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) coming of age under the fires of war and tutelage of Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter).

"The Clone Wars" was not only a staple on Cartoon Network during its original broadcast run, but a reliable torchbearer for the franchise for years. The show rehabilitated the prequel era at a time when the public had written it off after mixed reception to its movie trilogy. In terms of its own merits, the show consistently improved with each season as showrunner Dave Filoni expanded and explored the universe. One of the best encapsulations of the franchise's qualities, "The Clone Wars" is still the gold standard in "Star Wars" animated projects.

One of the more fascinating characters introduced in "Rogue One" was Cassian Andor, a cold-blooded killer for the Rebel Alliance played by Diego Luna. Andor's backstory, including how he was recruited by the Rebellion, is explored in the live-action prequel series "Andor," created by "Rogue One" writer Tony Gilroy. Initially a thief trying to stay under the radar, Andor becomes radicalized by the Empire's systemized injustices and becomes a freedom fighter. The show also explores how the Empire's oppressive policies affect everyday people in the galaxy just trying to get by, fueling support for the rebels.

From its haunting cinematography to its more grounded and pointed approach to the franchise, "Andor" is "Star Wars" at its boldest in terms of storytelling. The show doesn't shy away from its morally and emotionally complex elements, honing both as the story progresses. And though Andor's fate is a foregone conclusion, given his arc in "Rogue One," there are plenty of surprises and big payoffs along the way. An expansion of what "Star Wars" can and should be, "Andor" is just all-around fantastic television, regardless of its franchise connections.