Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi is finally almost here. The sequel to 2015's The Force Awakens — and the latest installment in the 40-year-old franchise — is one of the most anticipated movies ever released, and the wait to see it is nearly over... but not quite. There are still almost two weeks between now and the film's release on Dec. 15, which means fans are going crazy wondering how they're going to make it through these excruciating final days. But don't worry, because there are things to watch while you wait for The Last Jedi that will make the wait a little easier.
While there are many aspects of Star Wars that make it popular, at the end of the day it's a space opera: An intergalactic adventure with heroes, villains, spaceships, exotic planets, and weird alien creatures. So with that definition in mind, the below list compiles other films of a similar genre that should at least somewhat quench fans' thirst for space opera while their wait for The Last Jedi continues. Not all of the below films are masterpieces, it should be said, but they're all fun in their own way, and any one of them can make for a good distraction while you continue to countdown the minutes until Dec. 15. So take a look below at 19 movies to watch while you wait for the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
1
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'
This one is a no-brainer. The direct predecessor to The Last Jedi, you'll want to re-familiarize yourself with what happens in this movie before seeing the sequel.
2
Star Wars: The Original Trilogy
Another obvious choice, there's possibly no better way to pass the time than by seeing how the Star Wars story began.
3
'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'
The latest Star Wars film, released just last year, Rogue One's plot doesn't really figure into the timeline of The Last Jedi, but it's worth watching for the Darth Vader scenes alone.
4
Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy
The prequels are very polarizing among Star Wars fans — you either love them or hate them — but if you haven't seen them in a while it might be fun to watch them just see how the franchise has changed since their release.
5
'Star Wars: The Clone Wars'
Here's a Star Wars movie you may not have seen, and the only full-length animated feature in the franchise.
6
'Guardians Of The Galaxy,' Vols. 1 & 2
Produced by the same parent company (Disney) as the new Star Wars film, the Guardians films are basically the Star Wars of a new generation, except funnier.
7
Star Trek: The Reboot Trilogy
Star Wars and Star Trek have long been rivals, but there's still a lot of crossover between fandoms. The reboot films, of which there are three, are far more Star Wars-like than anything else in the Trek franchise.
8
'Star Trek: The Original Series' Films
With six films starring the original cast, there's plenty of material available for Star Trek fans.
9
'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Films
Still can't get enough Star Trek after nine films? Well, lucky for you there are four more movies starring the fan-favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation cast.
10
'Thor: Ragnarok'
Director Taika Waititi has reinvigorated the Thor franchise by essentially turning its third installment into a pseudo-Guardians movie. You can also still catch this one in theaters, which is a bonus.
11
'Flash Gordon'
If you appreciate the cheese factor of Star Wars, then you should enjoy this campy 1980 cult classic, which was released at the height of the original Star Wars mania.
12
'Avatar'
This sci-fi epic is currently the world's highest-grossing film, but will it be dethroned by The Last Jedi? Watch it again to see why it was so successful.
13
'John Carter'
Disney may have taken a bath financially on this ambitious Mars-set film, but it's still gorgeous to look at and a sci-fi/fantasy story told in the Star Wars tradition.
14
'The Last Starfighter'
Released a year after the final film of the original trilogy, this movie came at a time when Hollywood was desperately searching for the next Star Wars.
15
'Dune'
Another 1984 sci-fi release, but extra weird thanks to David Lynch's directing.
16
'Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets'
The most bizarre and ambitious sci-fi film of 2017, this film alone probably has more strange aliens than the entire Star Wars franchise.
17
'The Fifth Element'
A sci-fi classic that still holds up 20 years later.
18
'Stargate'
The aliens aren't too strange in this one, but the film that kicked off this successful franchise is still a rollicking sci-fi adventure.
19
'Galaxy Quest'
A Star Trek parody film that manages to also be a worthy space opera in its own right.
20
Bonus: 'The Star Wars Holiday Special'
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If you've watched everything on this list and still aren't satisfied, then check out this notoriously bad TV special from 1978.
The films on this list should help pass the time until The Last Jedi arrives in theaters, and after that it's time to start counting down the days until Solo: A Star Wars Story's release on May 25.
