
From Obi Wan to Ewoks, Star Wars fans have come dressed for the occasion as they queue up for The Force Awakens premiere in London.

But none of the attendees were more hotly-anticipated than the all-star cast of the film, which ranged from newcomer Daisy Ridley in stunning black Roland Mouret to film franchise veteran Harrison Ford.

Leading lady Daisy, 23, - who plays Rey in the seventh installment - blew the red carpet competition out of the water with her on-point outfit choice, which was both Dark Side-black and glittering with an out-of-this-world print.

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Red carpet ready: Newcomer Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in the movie, lead the Leicester Square premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens for the European premiere of the movie on Wednesday night

Just 1,000 wrist bands were given out for fans to see their favourite stars including Harrison, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, who are returning to the saga after starring in the original trilogy, will join British newcomer John Boyega in Leicester Square.

Daisy shouted out to her fans on the red carpet, saying: 'May the force be with all of you.' as she explained her excitement about being in London for the premiere, saying: 'It's particularly special because I'm from London, it's good to be home'.

Actor Harrison, who reprises his role as intrepid traveller and smugger Han Solo, said 'it feels good' to be back, adding when asked if he had a message for fans: 'I hope they enjoy the movie. I think it's a worthy effort. I'm very proud of it, thank you.'

Ridley, 23, poses next to a stormtrooper on the red carpet for the European premiere of the hotly anticipated movie

Returning: Ford joins other original cast members Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Line up: Stormtroopers and Darth Vader pose for cameras on the red carpet for the UK premiere of one of the most anticipated movies this century

Arrival: Stormtroopers walk across the red carpet at a packed Leicester Square tonight ahead of the premiere of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

Mobbed: Star Wars actor Harrison Ford signed autographs on the red carpet - he said he felt no nostalgia when he returned to the role of Han Solo for the first time in more than 30 years

The world's stage: Daisy was more out-of-this-world than anything when she arrived at the red carpet premiere

Join a conga: The brunette certainly didn't seem to want the night to end, saying that it was particularly special to have the European premiere in London

On the red carpet, director JJ Abrams said it is an 'enormous relief' that fans were finally going to finally see the film.

Abrams, who directed, wrote and co-produced the film, was talking to red carpet presenter Jim Chapman, saying it was an 'incredible honour to be here with this remarkable reception'.

Perhaps the biggest delight was the stars however, as Abrams said he was struck every day while filming by how lucky he was to be working on the movie.

Abrams praised newcomers Daisy and also John Boyega, saying: 'These are two incredible actors, watching them together is amazing.'

Boyega, who plays Finn in the new movie, was the man of the moment, looking sharp in a dark blue suit and bow tie, grinning from ear to ear with excitement at being in London.

Making the most of it: As the newest star of the film franchise, the 23-year-old seemed to be soaking it up with vigour

Animated: The actress was revelling in her red carpet moment, clearly excited and waving about her hands

Pose-perfect: The leading lady, who plays Rey in the film, showed off her slight shape as she shined

Following her lead: Gwendoline Christie wasn't far behind Daisy, in a similarly dark gown

Rocking the red carpet: The blonde shone in a sparkling bodice, which was set off by a long and flowing train

Out of this world: Lupita Nyong'o was wearing a striking blue lipstick with her hair up and off her face

Stealing the show: 12 Years A Slave actress Lupita enjoyed yet another moment of glory with her part in this film

Owning it: She added metallic heels to the image to make her strut all the more convincing

Stealing the show: The star, who takes the part of Maz Kanata in this film, proved she wasn't going to go unnoticed

'I'm a boy from Peckham and I'm in a Star Wars movie,' he enthused to vlogger Jim Chapman on the red carpet, adding later: 'I'm here to celebrate, dammit.'

A group of stormtroopers from the First Order opened the red carpet.

The first 'stars' of the film to arrive were droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, who ambled down the red carpet taking in the scenery.

The newest droid in the Star Wars family, BB-8, got a cheer from fans as it rolled down the red carpet.

BB-8 is one of the highlights of the new movie and is sure to gain a legion of fans.

Actor Warwick Davis, who starred in a few of the earlier Star Wars films and the latest one, could not resist posing for a selfie with BB-8 on the red carpet.

Giddy: The cast, including Lupita Nyong'o, Warwick Davis, Gwendoline Christie, J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, Max von Sydow, Peter Mayhew and John Boyega, were certainly entertained by Gary, Carrie Fisher's dog

Come to mama: Carrie called on her dog to make sure the pup was ready for the group shot

Who's the lead character now? Gary The Dog had pride of place in the group, inside Odeon Leicester Square

Make yourself at home: Returning actress Carrie Fisher brought along her dog Gary for the red carpet appearance

Kooky: She said on the night that she had never felt more relaxed during a red carpet appearance

Oh the glamour: From top to toe, the actress was a vision in black silk and glitter details

Back home: Asked how she felt about being at the premiere, she said: 'I've never felt more relaxed in my life. I feel relaxed, as I said, and I come here to just be myself and feel real.'

Too cute: Her red carpet counterpart wasn't exactly the most orthodox of guests

Working it: Her dress followed her faithfully in a long, sweeping train that gathered around her feet

Polished: Gwendoline's neckline was high to complement her short and sharp hairdo

Veteran: Mark Hamill made his triumphant return to the red carpet on Wednesday night

Show of support: Luke Skywalker actor Mark was surrounded by his girls Marilou York (right) and daughter Chelsea (left)

While celebrity attendees including David Beckham's eldest boys Brooklyn and Romeo - who unveiled their closet superfan status - along with television personality Myleene Klass stopped for their selfies with the Stormtroopers.

It was a rather unorthodox red carpet counterpart that gained American actress Carrie Fisher some extra attention on the night, even so.

Carrie, who reprises her role as Princess Leia, brought along her French bulldog, Gary, and couldn't help but make a spectacle of the adorable canine as she hit the spotline.

Asked how she felt about being at the premiere, she said: 'I've never felt more relaxed in my life. I feel relaxed, as I said, and I come here to just be myself and feel real.'

Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, said he was overwhelmed, explaining: 'It never gets old, it's hard to believe the excitement after all of these years.'

Black beauty: Actress Felicity Jones opted for classic black as she attended the red carpet premiere

Stars of the show: Even R2-D2 (left) and C3PO (right) were making the most of the red carpet that night

Ready to rock and roll! Star Wars newbie John Boyega was looking pretty sharp for his appearance

Everyone wants a word: The star was lapping up all of the red carpet attention from baiting fans

Darth Vader leads stormtroopers down the red carpet - the movie had its world premiere last night and has received hugely positive reviews

Formidable figure: The most notorious movie villain of all time no doubt incited a touch of old-fashioned fear in the hearts of the 1,000 fans lined up along the red carpet at London's Leicester Square

He also said he had a 'very special affinity' for London, revealing his son was born here while he filmed The Empire Strikes Back.

Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry and Simon Pegg are also expected to make appearances for the European premiere of Star Wars Episode VII.

Actor Peter Mayhew, who plays Han Solo's sidekick, Chewbacca, said being at the premiere was 'absolutely wonderful', adding: 'We've had a great weekend, we were in Los Angeles last night and we're here in London tonight, what more could anybody ask for?'

Star Wars creator George Lucas, who created the franchise in 1977, expressed his delighted at seeing the franchise come home to Britain's capital this week.

He told red carpet host Alex Zane: 'All of the premieres have always been in London. It's like coming home to an event we've done for the last 40 years but this was the biggest by far.'

Newcomers: Director JJ Abrahams described Daisy and John as a joy to work with on the film

Proud man: British star Simon Pegg looked cool in a threaded suit and seemed pleased as punch with the invite

Warwick Davis arrives on the red carpet tonight - he appeared as 'Wicket' in the Return of the Jedi which was released in 1983

Warwick Davis on the red carpet - prior to the Return of the Jedi movie, had no previous acting experience and was cast only after his grandmother discovered an open call for dwarfs for the film

Causing a stir: Dressed in his all-black garb, Darth Vader led the charge of dozens of white Stormtroopers down the red carpet, cutting a swathe of fear and exciting the hundreds of keen fans lined up either side.

Causing a stir: The Stormtroopers certainly seemed to have caught the attention of one, Myleene Klass (centre)

Brought to a standstill: The television personality seemed to have caught the giggles from the red carpet counterparts

Who's this? Later, Carrie couldn't resist posing with the Stormtroopers - obviously alongside Gary

Posing up: Gary was obviously taken aback by his owner's behaviour on the red carpet and looked a little distracted

New date? Carrie treated the Stormtroopers as if they'd be a better date for the occasion

Closet superfans: David Beckham's boys Romeo (left) and Brooklyn (right) proved their super-fan status

Brothers: The two eldest Beckham boys hung out together on the night, joining in the with A-listers

It's without a doubt the biggest movie event of the year, but Wednesday night saw not just the cast fans of the movie franchise turn up in their droves, of course decked out in their finest costumes to see the stars.

But leading the charge early in the evening, ahead of the A-list stars, were the Stormtroopers joined by cinema's most notorious movie villain, Darth Vader.

Dressed in his all-black garb, he led the charge of dozens of white Stormtroopers down the red carpet, cutting a swathe of fear and exciting the hundreds of keen fans lined up either side.

Chewbacca was also seen strutting his furry stuff, along with Tusken Raiders and Jawas, and a man clad in Adam Driver's Sith Lord Kylo Ren costume.

London's huge event marks the second premiere for the cast of Star Wars Episode VII: on Sunday they stepped out for the world premiere in Hollywood at the Dolby, El Capitan, and TCL Theatres.

Making her arrival: The brunette was wearing a glamorous sparkling jumpsuit for the occasion

Also on the guestlist: Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife Sophie Hunter stopped by to watch

Night out: The new parents were enjoying a night off from their parenting duties

That's a new look: C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels was looking rather different than fans will know him

Selfie stick: Warwick Davis (left) and George Lucas (right) held a one-to-one on his camera phone

Fancy seeing you here! R2-D2 actor Kenny Baker (left) shook hands with filmmaker George

Supporting act: George's wife Mellody Hobson (right) was there by his side on Wednesday night

The world's stage: The couple couldn't have anticipated the hysteria surrounding the European event

Cute duo: Noel Gallagher brought along model daughter Anais for the red carpet occasion

Flying solo: Helen McCrory was without husband Damian Lewis that evening

Bright and beautiful: She was looking bold in a bright feathered jacket

The film has already made UK box office history, selling more than half a million tickets for its opening week at one cinema chain alone.

Director JJ Abrams is expected at the premiere along with Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson and Gwendoline Christie.

English actors Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker, who play C-3P0 and R2-D2, were also set to appear, as is actor Warwick Davis and robot BB-8.

The entire cast and director were seen heading from Los Angeles to the British capital on an impressive plane, the airliner kitted out to resemble R2-D2, the fuselage and cockpit painted in the blue pattern of the beloved droid.

Earlier in the day, Star Wars fans were dressed up for the occasions, with a veritable mixture of Obi Wans and Ewoks, queuing up for The Force Awakens premiere.

Warwick Davis prepares to take a selfie of him with the BB-8 droid - he also posed for pictures with the fans, saying: 'I'm out here where the most important people are - the fans'

Unlike the robots in previous films in the series, the droid is portrayed by a real remote-controlled robot rather than an actor or a puppet

British actor Peter Mayhew, who plays Chewbecca in the movies, attends the opening of the European Premiere of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

These two: J.J. Abrams and George Lucas proved they have a playful relationship

Making their entrance: People dressed up as Kylo Ren (left), Chewbacca (centre) and Jawas (right) filtered down the packed red carpet

Lady in red: Carrie Fisher changed into a glamorous red dress for The Force Awakens afterparty at Tate Britain

Who's been a good boy? Gary the French bulldog made himself comfortable on a shocking pink throw

Quick change: Daisy swapped her dramatic dress for another fashion-forward look, complete with leopard print heels

A head above: Gwendoline Christie towered over Anthony Daniels, who played the franchise's famous C-3PO

Feeling blue: Game of Thrones star Gwendoline looked glamorous in a flowing navy evening gown

Individual: Fashion designer Giles Deacon made a statement with a polka-dot scarf and bright patterned shirt

Party time: The Tate Britain hosted The Force Awakens afterparty and looked spectacular swathed in an indigo light

Under the spotlight: Criss-crossing clear lights made for a futuristic set up inside the Tate Britain

Return of the Jedi: Mark Hamill swapped Luke Skywalker's light robes for a black suit with a dickie bow at the afterparty

Suits you, sir: Artist Damien Hirst wore a black suit as he accompanied a stunning guest to the bash

Feeling tired: It looked like the excitement of the occasion was too much for Dermot as he let out a large yawn

Dressed to impress: Violinist Linzi Stoppard wore an intricately detailed nude and navy dress

Star Wars fans were packed into Leicester Square tonight ahead of the UK premiere of the latest film in the Star Wars franchise

Armed: Merck Zekai, who is dressed Obi-Wan Kenobi, queues with a lightsaber in Leicester Square ahead of the Episode VII premiere today

Capturing the moment: A Star Wars fan takes a selfie with another dressed as an Ewok in London before The Force Awakens premiere

Crowds were squeezed into Leicester Square to take pictures - the size and scale is a reflection of the enduring popularity of the sci-fi saga

Excited: A Star Wars fan dressed as Yoda stands behind a cardboard cutout of Han Solo in London's West End before tonight's premiere

Builders working in Leicester Square peaked their heads out to see what all the excitement was about at the UK premiere

Film enthusiasts, one kitted out in a Chewbacca costume, wait to spot members of the cast at the European Premiere of Star Wars

Matt Jenner, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, dressed as an Ewok for the premiere he is attending with his girlfriend Emilie Ayling.

He said: 'Last time there was a premiere I dressed as Darth Vader. I am a massive fan - every time I film comes out I am here.

'But no one has ever seen my face. My favourite character is Luke Skywalker.'

Merich Zekai watched all six films ahead of the premiere. He is attending dressed as Obi-Wan Kenobi but the main thing on his mind is Luke Skywalker.

Mr Zekai said: 'I can't wait to see the film, but I really want to know what's happened to Luke.

'Luke hasn't been in any of the posters and I wonder if he's become a baddie.'

Steve Dixon and his son Liam, from Swindon, Wiltshire, were in the queue to join a fan pen, and Mr Dixon said he hoped to see his favourite actor Ford.

A Star Wars fan in a Kylo Ren costume at the UK premiere of one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the decade

Everybody's there! Even the Tusken Raiders got a look-in as they wielded their weapons for the lightsaber-holding fans

Just 1,000 wrist bands were given out for fans to see their stars and they dressed as their favourite characters, such as Yoda

Characters in costume, including Chewbacca (centre) stride down the red carpet for the seventh installment in the Star Wars franchise

Star Wars fans stand armed with their lightsabers - Disney paid more than £2.6bn for the rights to the hugely popular franchise

Star Wars fans were packed into both sides of the red carpet tonight, waiting to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars

Leicester Square is crammed with Star Wars fans, many of whom arrived in the hours early to secure a place near the red carpet and a close-up view of the stars

Darth Vader received a loud cheer as he strutted down the red carpet in Leciester Square, followed by stormtroopers

Heckle: From behind, Gwendoline Christie seemed to heckle the crowds as they all stood together

Kodak moment: Stephen Fry planted a kiss on Carrie Fisher as he joined James Blunt for a group shot

Cutie: But he didn't realise he was being terribly entertaining on the stage

Skywalker: Trafalgar Square was lit up with a giant Lightsabre that loomed over the whole of central London

Impressive: London welcomed the Star Wars franchise into its heart for one night only

Lightsabres: Blue lights decorated the Christmas scene in the middle of central London

Leicester Square was abuzz with excitement as fans waited hours to see their stars on the red carpet for the European premiere of the film

Ewok selfie: Just 1,000 wrist bands were dished out for fans to join in the fun on the red carpet in London's West End tonight

Coffee and coats to keep warm: People camp in Leicester Square ahead of the London premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Dressed up: The seventh instalment in the Star Wars movie series comes ten years after the last film and reunites the original trio

Prepared: British fans with tickets in the UK will get a head start over devotees in the US, where the movie is not released until Friday

Anticipation: Star Wars fans queue for a position on the red carpet at Leicester Square ahead of the European premiere tonight

Mr Dixon said: 'My son has never been to a premiere so I thought I'd bring him along.'

He admitted he is not a 'massive' Star Wars fan but loved going to premieres. The pair were decked-out head-to-toe in Star Wars merchandise.

Security remained tight as the set was being put together for the premiere of the movie, which is set for general release tomorrow.

Fans were having their bags searched and the presence of police was strong around the giant awnings and huge red carpet.

The film's Hollywood premiere on Monday saw an army of Stormtroopers on the red carpet, while fans camped out ahead of the first public screening.

British fans with tickets for the first UK screenings will get a head start over devotees in the US, where the movie is not released until Friday.

Extensive ticket sales: The film - which is set for general release on Thursday - has already made UK box office history

Stars: The director is expected at the premiere along with a host of other actors including Daisey Ridley (left) and John Boyega (right)

Stormtroopers: Star Wars creator George Lucas has already seen the new movie (above) and has reportedly given it his seal of approval