How to watch

Starship Troopers Movie Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Starship Troopers movies in order

Last updated: November 5 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

Starship Troopers turned Robert A. Heinlein's novel into a cult-classic satire about soldiers fighting giant alien bugs. The franchise grew into live-action sequels, an animated series and CGI films, so here's how to watch it all in order.

Paul Verhoeven's 1997 Starship Troopers was misunderstood as a straight action movie at release, but it's now celebrated as a sharp parody of militarism wrapped in spectacular bug-blasting carnage. Johnny Rico and the Mobile Infantry returned in two direct-to-video sequels, while Casper Van Dien later voiced Rico again in the Japanese-produced CGI films Invasion and Traitor of Mars. There was even a CGI animated series, Roughnecks.

πŸ• Release Order

Release order follows the franchise as it moved from blockbuster to cult favorite to animated revival.

  1. Starship Troopers (1997)
  2. Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (1999–2000)
  3. Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004)
  4. Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008)
  5. Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012)
  6. Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars (2017)

Fortunately, the story order of the films matches their release dates. The one exception is Roughnecks, which retells the war in its own continuity and can be watched whenever you like.

πŸ“– Story Chronology

Chronologically, the films follow the Bug War from Rico's enlistment through his later career as a commanding officer.

  1. Starship Troopers (1997)
  2. Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004)
  3. Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008)
  4. Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012)
  5. Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars (2017)
  6. Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (1999–2000) β€” separate continuity

Which Order Should You Choose?

Release order and story order are effectively the same, so simply start with Verhoeven's original. Hero of the Federation is a lower-budget horror-flavored side story, and you can skip it without losing much. Fans of Rico should prioritize Marauder, Invasion and Traitor of Mars, which continue his arc most directly.

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Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!