‘Star Wars’ force is strong on grocery and drug store shelves

Force Awakens actor John Boyega figures to become a household name, given the box office expectations of the film.

Abrams and Lucas posed together for photos, and both men took time to chat with fans before heading into the premiere.

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

Abrams himself speaks about how The Force Awakens followed on from 1983’s Return of the Jedi, which 30 years ago seemed to have a happy, tidy resolution.

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.

The latest chapter in the “Star Wars” series will be opened tonight, when “Episode VII: The Force Awakens” has its premiere in Los Angeles.

The CBS news magazine show ran a profile of director J.J. Abrams last night, and it serves as a nice scene-setter for this week’s madness.

One of the participating theatres – the iconic TCL Chinese – hosted the premiere of the original Star Wars in 1977. But its plot remains a mystery.

“Everyone knows we keep it secret for the right reasons”, Ridley said. “Even the people that really want to know about it, they want to see it in the film”.

What is already known for sure is that “The Force Awakens” cast counts far more women than previous renditions. The women portray the evil Captain Phasma and Rey, two new characters who will be expected to carry the “Star Wars” film franchise as it is introduced to a new generation.

Anticipation for “The Force Awakens” has been building steadily for months, with Disney unleashing a well-orchestrated advertising campaign of trailers and interviews with cast members that left fans wanting more. Disney is the parent company of ABC13.