Surprise Disney+ movie with 87% on Rotten Tomatoes takes the top spot nearly a decade after its release
They say that rebellions are born on hope, and over the past 48 years, the Star Wars franchise has taught us that time and again.
We've basked in the sci-fi glory of the nine-movie Skywalker Saga and spin-offs like Solo: A Star Wars Story or The Mandalorian, but it's since Disney took the reins in 2012 that we've really seen the franchise grow to the Death Star-sized IP it is today.
There have been some great (The Empire Strikes Back) and not-so-great (Attack of the Clones) outings that have sprung forth, but most can agree that one stands out from the pack.
Up there with Episode V, Gareth Edwards' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is held as one of the best things Star Wars has ever produced.
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Considering A New Hope picks up with Princess Leia sending out the plans to the Death Star, the idea of focusing a whole movie on how they were acquired seemed like a bold choice.
Still, Rogue One ended up being a tear-jerking war epic for the ages, which is so much more than just a Star Wars movie. While most of us have seen the movie numerous times, the success of Tony Gilroy's Andor has brought Rogue One back into the spotlight it deserves.
If you're keeping up, the two seasons of Andor on Disney+ serve as a prequel to Rogue One (itself being a prequel), with the recent season finale leading directly into the events of Edwards' 2016 spectacular.
We're not sure why you'd go into Andor if you hadn't seen Rogue One, but either way, it seems the end of season 2 has spurred newcomers and Rogue One regulars alike to rewatch the movie. There's some tough competition at the top of Disney+, with 2002's animated Lilo & Stitch coming in second ahead of its upcoming live-action remake. Third place goes to Mufasa: The Lion King, while a special look at Jake Schreier's Thunderbolts* is fourth. The top five is rounded off by Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch has a Glitch, so it's not hard to see why each one has earned its place. The only other Star Wars to make it into the top 10 is the OG, which is a shame considering we've just celebrated the 25th anniversary of the underrated Revenge of the Sith. It's not a case that Rogue One needed more love, but with its new reign being celebrated over on Reddit, fans were glad to see it being lauded as it should be.
One fan cheered: "I'm convinced that Rogue One would be near the top of the box office if they rereleased it in theaters this week."
Another added: "I just hope the success of Andor makes Disney invest in more adult oriented Star Wars content."
A third concluded: "I just watched this. It hit so different now."
It's not all joy, though, as some critics pointed out how an updated poster puts Diego Luna's Cassian Andor front and center. This relegated Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso to the background, which seems unfair considering she's the ensemble's MVP. Still, if more people who haven't seen Rogue One before are going to flock to it in the wake of Andor, we say let's have it.