Hundreds of fans lined up early Thursday afternoon to be among the first to see The Force Awakens, the latest movie in the Star Wars franchise.

Nick Shelley and Jaye O'Brien were at the Scotiabank Cineplex in Bayers Lake at 2 p.m., where Star Wars played on six screens. They were first in line to get a good seat.

Nick Shelley and Jaye O'Brien arrived five hours early to get good seats. (CBC)

The wait for the 'perfect spot'

"It has been a long time since a new movie like this has come out and we wanted to be the first to see it," O'Brien said.

"I'm one of those theatre goers and there's that perfect spot three quarters the way up," Shelley said.

The Force Awakens is the first Star Wars film in a decade, and picks up after Return of the Jedi from 1983. Some of the original cast, including Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), are reprising their rolls.

Francis Holtken just returned from being away at sea on HMCS Charlottetown. (CBC)

'No other way to do it'

Francis Holtken came dressed as a Mandalorian mercenary like the character Boba Fett.

"I think it's going to make the old timers: the people who have been fans for a long time. It's going to appeal for them because it's memories for them," Holtken said.

Holtken is in the navy and just returned from sea on HMCS Charlottetown. He says seeing Star Wars was a top priority.

"It's Star Wars — there's no other way to do it. Opening night is where the party is at, so that's where I'm at," Holtken said.

Michael McCluskey, who also goes by Fat Apollo, wore his favourite Battle Star Gallactica outfit to Thursday's showing of the latest Star Wars film. (CBC)

'My dad got sick of taking me'

Michael McCluskey, wearing a Battle Star Gallactica, remembers seeing the original Star Wars movies when there was a theatre on Gottingen Street.

"My dad took me. I was 12 years old. First of many many times. My dad got sick of taking me," said McCluskey, who's commonly known as Fat Apollo in Halifax.

Josh Lambert wore a Chewbacca hoodie.

"I've been a huge Star Wars fan ever since I was four or five years old. We had them on VHS and ran them until they didn't run any more," Lambert said.

"There's just something about it."