Hollywood celebrates the world premiere of ‘The Force Awakens’

Two and a half blocks of Hollywood Boulevard were transformed into a Star Wars-themed red carpet leading to the TCL Chinese Theatre, where a parade of Imperial Stormtroopers marched to the familiar strains of the blockbuster franchise’s theme music.

Not that it detered fans, about 200 of whom had been camping out for a week hoping to snag tickets to the world premiere of the year, “Star Wars Episode VII, The Force Awakens”.

Hamill said the new film can’t live up to the expectations of the devoted “Star Wars” fan base.

“Rest easy: The Force Awakens is 100 per cent Star Wars and something new”. The movie doesn’t officially release until Friday, but you can actually catch a few showings beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday night in Indianapolis.

(Film Frame/Disney/Lucasfilm via AP).

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” premieres nationwide on December 18.

“Story, character, design, humor (sic) – #StarWars fans, this is the movie you’re looking for”, LA Times film critic Rebecca Keegan tweeted.

A giant opaque tent shrouded the red carpet that was lined with Stormtrooper mannequins and neon lights that resembled giant lightsabers.

The chain expects “tens of thousands of guests” to fill seats across the country when screenings begin just hours after the stars attend the United Kingdom premiere in Leicester Square.

Many of Hollywod’s top stars joined hundreds of costumed fans at what may have been the largest Hollywood premiere ever.

Early arrivals mixed stars from the original trilogy, Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), with newcomers Gwendolyn Christie and Daisy Ridley.

Ridley admits that she and John Boyega messed around a lot on set but they were just being silly and having fun while filming.

Speaking from the premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, Ford reflected: “Well, in the ’70s nobody knew what to anticipate”.

Harrison Ford, who returns to his role of Han Solo, arrived at the premiere in a dark suit and said making a Star Wars movie now is a far cry from making one in the 1970s. He said security was extra tight because of the terror attacks in San Bernardino and Paris. I’ve never seen this kind of thing.