Do you need to watch The Clone Wars movie before the series?

If you’re a big Star Wars fan who hasn’t gotten around to watching the many animated series, then you’ve at least likely heard good things about what these shows have to offer. And, in particular, you’ve likely heard just how good its flagship show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, is.

If you haven’t heard that, let this article be the first to tell you so, because Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a series like no other. Yes, it may be an animated TV series that skews towards younger audiences, but in no way should that stop the older Star Wars fans out there from watching.

In fact, The Clone Wars may even be more enjoyable for older fans just because of the sheer amount of added Star Wars lore that’s presented in each episode. If you think you knew everything there is to know about Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and even Padme Amidala, think again. The Clone Wars has plenty of backstory about these characters, and it all happens in the gap between Episode II and Episode III.

So, if you’re convinced that you should watch The Clone Wars series, you might be wondering about the 2008 movie of the same name that preceded it. Is it worth watching before you dive into the series?

Should you watch The Clone Wars movie?

If you’re serious about starting from the beginning and watching The Clone Wars series, then you’ll likely want to watch the movie too. The movie is essentially a longer version of an episode, featuring an adventure with Obi-Wan and Anakin. But at the same time, there’s not much set up in this film that you would miss if you don’t watch it. It’s more like a feature-length filler episode.

In reality, seeing The Clone Wars movie is really bordering on optional more than a necessity.

The biggest reveal that you might not want to miss is the introduction of Ahsoka Tano, who presents herself to Anakin as his new Padawan. As we know, Ahsoka doesn’t just leave and give up. She’s around for the entirety of The Clone Wars series (and later shows up in Rebels and The Mandalorian too). So you might not want to miss out on the introduction of Ahsoka.

Otherwise, the big downside to the movie is that it’s not as widely revered as the TV series itself. On IMDb, the film has a 5.9 rating out of 10. Whereas the series has an astounding 8.3 out of 10. So just let the numbers do the talking if you need any more convincing.

Still, if you’re a completionist and want to see everything through from start to finish, then seeing the movie is recommended. It all depends on how big of a Star Wars fan you want to be!

All seasons of The Clone Wars and the film are streaming on Disney+.