After many months of buildup and endless amounts of media coverage featuring countless “Star Wars†references, the long-awaited premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†was held Monday night — and Hollywood showed up in force (sorry, you knew it was coming).
On-screen and off, it was a night of nostalgia, looking back with reverence to the much-loved original “Star Wars†trilogy, and of looking forward, as the franchise shifts to a new generation. Despite tight security, a few long lines and cold, blustery weather, the mood was as festive as you’d expect for the first “Star Wars†movie to hit theaters in 10 years.
The audience broke into applause at the opening blast of John Williams’ theme music and at each successive appearance of a classic “Star Wars†character, including Han Solo, Princess (now General) Leia, Chewbacca and R2-D2. But by the end of the night, as overwhelmingly positive reactions began spreading on social media, many were talking of the strength of the younger cast members, led by Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, who will carry the series into the future.
FULL COVERAGE: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
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Stormtroopers interact with the crowd at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Daisy Ridley, who stars as the new character Rey, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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John Boyega, who stars as Finn, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Gwendoline Christie, who plays Captain Phasma, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Carrie Fisher, who reprises the iconic Leia, plays with the photographers at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Maz Kanata, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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George Lucas, left, creator of the “Star Wars franchise, and director J.J. Abrams chat at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Adam Driver, left, who plays Kylo Ren, and Oscar Isaac, who plays Poe Dameron, arrive at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Actor Harrison Ford and his wife, actress Calista Flockhart, arrive at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Oscar Isaac, right, sneaks up on Adam Driver at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Anthony Daniels, left, who plays C-3P0, and Peter Mayhew, who plays Chewbacca, arrive at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Gwendoline Christie, who plays Captain Phasma, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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George Lucas, left, creator of the “Star Wars franchise, and director J.J. Abrams share a hug at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Actress Kate Capshaw, left, and her husband, director Steven Spielberg, arrive at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Actress Carrie Fisher, left, poses with her daughter, Billie Lourd, at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Actor Andy Serkis arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Domhnall Gleeson, who plays General Hux, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Maz Kanata, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Adam Driver, who plays Kylo Ren, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Gwendoline Christie, who plays Captain Phasma, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Photographers swarm droid BB-8 at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Droids C-3PO, left, and R2-D2 arrive at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Max von Sydow, who plays Lor San Tekka, arrives at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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A peek inside the tent at the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†reveals a silvery character.
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Statues of characters Rey, Kylo Ren and BB-8 made of Lego bricks are displayed inside the tent at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Daisy Ridley, one of the new stars of the franchise, walks the red carpet for the premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, gestures toward photographers on the red carpet for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†in Hollywood.
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Harrison Ford and his wife Calista Flockhart pose on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Carrie Fisher quiets a raucous crowd while walking the red carpet.
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Director J.J. Abrams greets Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee at the red carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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John Boyega, who plays Finn, arrives at the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Actress and cast member Lupita Nyong’o walks the red carpet.
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Adam Driver and Oscar Isaacs clown around on the red carpet for the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Gwendoline Christie, who plays Captain Phasma, strikes a pose at the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Anthony Daniels, who plays C-3P0, poses on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Billie Lourd, solo, on the red carpet.
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Clare Grant and her husband Seth Green, writer Lawrence Kasdan, and producer Kathleen Kennedy and husband Frank Marshall take in the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Peterr Mayhew, who plays Chewbacca, takes to the red carpet with his lightsaber cane.
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“Star Wars: The Force Awakens†actor Andy Serkis makes it known that he is in the seventh installment of the “Star Wars†franchise at the film’s Hollywood premiere.
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C-3PO and R2-D2 at the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†on Hollywood Boulevard.
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Mellody Hobson and George Lucas arrive at the world premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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A large Captain Phasma awaits inside the tent housing the red-carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Karrueche Tran, left, and Chantel Jeffries make their way down the red carpet at the premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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The stewards of “Star Wars,†George Lucas, left, and J.J. Abrams, meet and hug on the red carpet.
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J.J. Abrams acknowledges George Lucas as he continues down the carpet toward the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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More of the atmosphere inside the tent housing the red carpet premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg.
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Musician Janelle Monae.
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Robert Iger, chairman and chief executive of the Walt Disney Co., arrives on the red carpet with his wife, Willow Bay.
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Model Kelly Rohrbach catches photographers’ flashes.
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“Modern Family†actress Sarah Hyland and actor Dominic Sherwood hit the red carpet for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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“Modern Family†actress Sarah Hyland and actor Dominic Sherwood kiss on the red carpet.
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Stormtroopers continue to make their presence felt on the red carpet at the premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Stormtroopers drink in the spotlight on the red carpet -- while keeping order, of course.
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Actor Max von Sydow.
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An Empire-themed car is displayed at the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†Hollywood premiere.
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“Heroes Reborn†actor Greg Grunberg
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Reporters wait for the stars to arrive at the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†Hollywood premiere.
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Actress Zendaya
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Rey, Kylo Ren and BB-8 figures at the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†Hollywood premiere.
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Stormtroopers inside the tent housing the red-carpet premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.’
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Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew (background) attend the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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A security dog keeps watch.
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A cosplay staple at “Star Wars†events, the Hip-Hop Stormtrooper arrives for the premiere.
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The red carpet for the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.â€
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Darth Vader and Stormtroopers decorate a dress at the premiere.
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Eric Garcetti, Andy Serkis and Domhall Gleeson.
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt, left; Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee; and Sofia Vergara.
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Zendaya, Constance Zimmer and Jaime King.
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Actress Gina Rodriguez, left, Chris Hardwick and Lydia Hearst, and Geena Davis.
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“Game of Thrones†actress Gwendoline Christie, who plays Captain Phasma, takes selfies with “Star Wars†fans.
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Actresses Carrie Fisher and daughter Billie Lourd attend the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens†Hollywood premiere.
(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney) The Walt Disney Co. pulled out all the stops for the event, closing down four blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and screening the movie in not one but three theaters: the El Capitan, the Dolby Theatre and the TCL Chinese Theatre. As befitting arguably the biggest franchise in film history, this was a premiere on steroids.
Fans turned out in droves to catch a glimpse of boldface names from the film and television industries and beyond, including Pixar chief John Lasseter, music producer Quincy Jones, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and director Ava DuVernay. A few showed their love for “Star Wars†by coming in costume: Joseph Gordon-Levitt dressed as Yoda, complete with a painted green face, and Rainn Wilson wore Jedi robes. As a goodwill gesture, a number of fans who have already spent days waiting in line in front of the Chinese Theatre to see the film when it opens were also invited into the premiere.
Robert Iger, Disney’s chairman and chief exec, took the stage at the Dolby before the film began and warmly acknowledged the franchise’s creator, George Lucas, who was seated in the audience beside longtime friend Steven Spielberg. The spotlight shone on Lucas for a moment, and though he didn’t speak, he received a rousing standing ovation from the crowd.
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy spoke of the sense of fate and destiny that has always lain beneath the “Star Wars†franchise, noting that “The Force Awakens†director J.J. Abrams had been hired at age 16 to restore some of Spielberg’s long-lost childhood Super 8 films — only to have Spielberg decades later lobby for him to be hired to direct the seventh “Star Wars†film.
“Is it the Force?†Kennedy said. “I think so.... Tonight may the Force be with us all.â€
Abrams wryly thanked Disney for putting on “this incredibly low-key premiere†and expressed his gratitude to Kennedy “for meeting filmmakers who rejected this opportunity so I could direct a ‘Star Wars’ movie.†The director then brought out his cast, along with Williams, co-writer Lawrence Kasdan and others.
After the screening ended, the audience spilled out into the tent that lined Hollywood Boulevard for an after-party, where kids — and adults — could build BB-8 toys, play “Star Wars†video games and chow down on “Star Warsâ€-themed desserts.
With the film’s Friday release (and Thursday night early screenings) so close, Disney will ride the wave of enthusiastic early reactions — and hope that no spoilers leak out. (Yes, there are a few big surprises.) Having kept the movie’s secrets under tight wraps with such care throughout its rollout, the studio hardly wants what Abrams likes to call his “mystery box†to be opened too soon.
Meanwhile, millions of fans around the world eagerly wait for their own chance to return to the galaxy far, far away.
Twitter: @joshrottenberg
MORE:
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’: A recap of the world premiere from celebrity cosplay on the red carpet to the first reactions
How ‘Star Wars’ could become Disney’s next cash cow
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J.J. Abrams on going old school and how ‘Star Wars’ differs from ‘Star Trek’
