An elaborate premiere featuring a massive assault vehicle and a procession of Stormtroopers and droids preceded the first showing of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, in Los Angeles.
Stormtroopers marched the red carpet as Star Wars music blared and fans cheered Saturday at the latest instalment in the beloved space opera franchise.
The film will also serve as the closing gala of the Dubai International Film Festival on December 13, ahead of its global release.
A squad of elite guards clad in red armour walked the red carpet in Los Angeles as Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, arrived wearing a shimmering dress adorned with stars. Ridley was in good spirits, saying about her dress, “I mean, it’s just fun. It’s fun. And I feel fun. And it’s got stars on it.”
Newcomer Kelly Marie Tran wore a bright red dress with a lengthy train behind it.
“It’s a Star Wars movie, and the energy tonight is pretty amazing,” said a beaming Andy Serkis, who plays the villain Supreme Leader Snoke.
Anthony Daniels, who plays C-3PO, told a reporter looking for details on the film, “I’m going to let you work out everything for yourself.”
The Last Jedi, which arrives in UAE theatres on December 13 with late night screenings, is one of the year’s biggest releases and includes the return of Luke Skywalker and Carrie Fisher’s final role. Early box office projections are for the film to debut in the $200 million (Dh734.42 million) range for its first US box office weekend.
Actor John Boyega, who plays Finn in the film, nearly didn’t make it to the red carpet Saturday after being snowed in, in Atlanta.
His publicist later stated that his flight was able to leave Saturday morning, and Boyega calmed fans after his arrival with an update, saying he’d safely landed but his luggage didn’t make it.
Boyega arrived on the red carpet, wearing a dark blue tuxedo and turtleneck.
While formal reviews won’t be out for a few days, those at the screening shared their initial reactions online with Logan director James Mangold praising The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, calling his film “a great chapter of a blockbuster franchise, spectacular and unpredictable, but also his own voice shining through.”
Producer Adam F. Goldberg wrote that the film made him feel like a kid again.
