Fans had been camped outside the theatre on Hollywood Boulevard for more than a week for Star Wars world premiere
An army of Stormtroopers plus C-3PO and R2D2 were among the early arrivals at the world premiere of the highly-anticipated new Star Wars movie in Los Angeles.
A long stretch of Hollywood Boulevard was closed to traffic for days ahead of the premiere of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and fans have been camping outside the TCL Chinese Theatre for more than a week in anticipation of the release of the film. C-3PO and R2D2 walked down the red carpet together as fans seated in bleachers roared in appreciation. C-3PO could be seen with a red arm, a source of much mystery as to what has happened to him.
A giant opaque tent shrouded the carpet, which was lined with Stormtrooper mannequins and neon lights that resembled giant lightsabers. Inside the tent, a whole constellation of stars were assembled, including Harrison Ford, Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Favreau and Janelle Monae.
Stars attended from the original series, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, as well as newcomers including John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.
The plot of the film remains a closely-guarded secret and a media embargo on reviews is in place until Wednesday.
Fans, many in costume, camped out for days for the chance to see the stars on the red carpet for what is probably the most eagerly awaited film of the decade.
According to Matthew Belloni, executive editor at Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, one man was forcibly removed from the premiere.
Fans had been camping out for days outside the TCL Chinese Theatre, which along with other LA venues screened the seventh Star Wars instalment.
The TCL Chinese Theatre – formerly known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – hosted the premiere for the first Star Wars movie in 1977.
More than 150 fans lined up to buy tickets for the first public screenings of Episode VII on Thursday but they got a surprise when they were all invited into one of the three cinemas showing the premiere.
But two fans, Australians Caroline Ritter and Andrew Porters, turned down the offer because they are getting married on the forecourt of Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday and will be watching the film with their friends and family afterwards.
Mr Porters said: “They invited us in. We declined. It’s part of our wedding reception with friends so we passed to see it on Thursday. It was hard but it is the right decision.”
Here are the some of the photos from premier:
