Skip to main content Games Radar Retro Gamer Total Film The smarter take on movies Search GamesRadar+ View Profile Tabletop Gaming Toys & Collectibles Newsletters Retro Gamer Gaming Magazines Why subscribe? Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99View Best Netflix Movies Best movies on Disney Plus Movie Release Dates Best Netflix Shows Entertainment Sci-Fi Movies Star Wars Movies Star Wars fans have ignited an age-old debate, and there are some seriously hot takes Nick Staniforth 22 March 2025 Fans are using the force and carefully worded arguments to settle an age-old discussion. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm) There are enough debates about the Star Wars universe to fill a galaxy far, far away. One that has just reignited on Reddit is which of the first two films is the best. One Redditor said, "Hot take, but I love A New Hope more than Empire." Naturally, everyone formed an orderly queue, gave reasons for their answers, and were totally civil about the whole thing. Kind of. One fan said, "[A New Hope] does an unparalleled job of introducing the viewer to a completely foreign, mid-fight story and just taking you where you need to be without overwhelming the viewer with details and world-building." Another fan had a few less kind words to say about the 1977 classic, adding, "Downvote me to hell but ANH is annoying. Luke is whiney, petulant, poorly acted and poorly written. Good story. Poor execution," while another simply said, "That's not a hot take. Liking Phantom Menace over Empire is a hot take." It would also be absolutely mad. Other Star Wars fans made sure to show some love for the third chapter in the original trilogy that defrosted Han Solo and had him fight of the Empire with the help of a tribe of teddy bears. "[Return of the Jedi] is my favorite of the originals. I do like Empire. But, a new hope edges it a little. Maybe because it's the first. But, the three together are by far the best." You may like Star Wars fans are debating the saga's darkest moment, and it's reminding us how messed up the galaxy actually is 20 years later, Star Wars fans are reflecting on one of the saga's most poignant moments One fan threw down a solid argument saying that all of the original trilogy are pieces to a bigger story. "It all depends how you view it. A New Hope is better as a single movie than Empire. You could watch it and be satisfied with everything you have seen. Empire expands on A New Hope and leaves you wanting more. Without the trilogy though, it’s just another good movie. Empire is the best of the 3 for most fans, but only because the start and ending are so cleanly done." So what he says is true, from a certain point of view. To get a solid assessment on which film is strongest with the force, be sure to check out our ranking of every single Star Wars movie here. Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See more Movies News Nick Staniforth Social Links Navigation Contributing Writer Nick is a freelancer whose work can be found at Screen Rant, The Digital Fix, and Looper. He loves movies, TV, DC, and Marvel. He also believes that the best Robin Hood is still a talking fox. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Star Wars fans are debating the saga's darkest moment, and it's reminding us how messed up the galaxy actually is 20 years later, Star Wars fans are reflecting on one of the saga's most poignant moments How to watch the Star Wars movies in order (release and chronological) 32 movies that inspired Star Wars Star Wars fans are sharing their favorite unbelievable canon cameos – and some of them are seriously deep-cut Star Wars timeline: Every major event in chronological order Latest in Star Wars Movies Star Wars fans have ignited an age-old debate, and there are some seriously hot takes The Mandalorian and Grogu has the lowest budget of any theatrical Star Wars movie since Disney bought Lucasfilm Bo-Katan's actor may have accidentally answered whether she is appearing in The Mandalorian and Grogu movie with this cryptic response John Boyega reveals Tom Cruise actually helped him get cast in Star Wars Star Wars confirms Watto isn’t dead after all in new comic, and fans are celebrating his miraculous survival Despite those retirement reports, Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy is "very involved" in the Rey Star Wars movie, according to Daisy Ridley Latest in News Star Wars fans have ignited an age-old debate, and there are some seriously hot takes A potential The Last of Us season 1 plot hole has sparked a lot of debate among the fans Jason Momoa has gone method taking on the role of Lobo: "I asked everybody to call me by my character's name" Avengers: Doomsday directors admit it's a "difficult" movie to make but tease some great Marvel collaborators "old and new" The Russo Brothers' $320 million movie has already been overtaken in Netflix's Top 10 Famed Silent Hill artist Masahiro Ito, creator of Pyramid Head, says scrapped concepts of freaky creatures "still exist in my mind" and "their children may be" used in future titles More about star wars movies The Mandalorian and Grogu has the lowest budget of any theatrical Star Wars movie since Disney bought Lucasfilm Bo-Katan's actor may have accidentally answered whether she is appearing in The Mandalorian and Grogu movie with this cryptic response A potential The Last of Us season 1 plot hole has sparked a lot of debate among the fans See more latest Most Popular A potential The Last of Us season 1 plot hole has sparked a lot of debate among the fans Assassin's Creed Shadows dev says "it's not a documentary," and Ubisoft is "not trying to show Japan from a very clinical or an overriding stereotypical view" Jason Momoa has gone method taking on the role of Lobo: "I asked everybody to call me by my character's name" Avengers: Doomsday directors admit it's a "difficult" movie to make but tease some great Marvel collaborators "old and new" The Russo Brothers' $320 million movie has already been overtaken in Netflix's Top 10 Famed Silent Hill artist Masahiro Ito, creator of Pyramid Head, says scrapped concepts of freaky creatures "still exist in my mind" and "their children may be" used in future titles The actors behind Split Fiction's main characters nearly botched their first auditions because they didn't know the script had two sides: "We were just stood there, sweating" Devs behind beloved destruction-focused racing game Wreckfest launch the sequel in early access with a trailer full of physics glitches and fatal error messages The Russo Brothers say Robert Downey Jr. "tried to talk us into" doing another Avengers movie but they "said no" until they heard the pitch for Doomsday: "That story has to be told" Former Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida says the PlayStation marketing team had to completely redesign Crash Bandicoot in PS1 commercials because he was too ugly for the Japanese market GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS Agricola review: "Accurate representation of the highly competitive and often unstable world of agriculture" Atomfall review: "This isn't British Fallout – it's something much better than that" inZOI review: "Currently feels like a soulless imitation of the worst parts of The Sims" Assassin's Creed Shadows review: "More confidence, texture, and purpose than we've seen since Assassin's Creed pivoted into RPG territory" HeroQuest review: "The grandaddy of dungeon crawlers" The Electric State review: "Although this may be their most visually stunning movie yet, it looks like the Russos are yet to find their footing outside of the MCU" Fight or Flight review: "Slick and silly action sequences garner well-earned John Wick and Bullet train comparisons" Mickey 17 Review: "Bong Joon Ho's best English movie to date and arguably Robert Pattinson's best movie ever" Captain America: Brave New World review: "Anthony Mackie's Cap earns his Stars and Stripes in this uneven, un-MCU thriller" The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep review – "A satisfying new anime adventure that harks back to the Netflix series' heyday" Daredevil: Born Again season 1 review: "There have been far worse Marvel projects, but few as disappointing as this" Reacher season 3 review: "Alan Ritchson's hero still rules as we get the best season yet" Yellowjackets season 3 review: "At its best when it leans all the way into its kookier – and scarier – side" Cobra Kai season 6, part 3 review: "Puts a near-perfect bow on Cobra Kai and the Karate Kid series" Invincible season 3 review: "Bigger, better, faster, stronger" GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. Contact Future's experts Terms and conditions Privacy policy Cookies policy Advertise with us Review guidelines Write for us Accessibility Statement Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Please login or signup to comment Please wait...