This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/dec/10/star-wars-the-last-jedi-premiere-tribute-carrie-fisher-rian-johnson

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres with tribute to late Carrie Fisher Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres with tribute to late Carrie Fisher
(about 3 hours later)
The galaxy far, far away was brought to life in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday for the world premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi where the anticipated first screening was dedicated to the franchise’s late star, Carrie Fisher. The latest – and many ecstatic fans are saying the best – dispatch from a galaxy far, far away has opened with a poignant tribute to its lost princess Carrie Fisher, who died last year soon after finishing filming her final appearance as Leia.
“I want to dedicate tonight to Carrie, who is up there right now flipping me the bird, saying ‘Damn it Rian, don’t you dare make this night a solemn tribute,” the film’s writer-director, Rian Johnson, said as he introduced the screening. Speaking in LA, Rian Johnson, the writer and director of the film, said: “Let’s all have a blast tonight for Carrie.” He was introducing the world premiere of the latest outing for one of the most successful movie franchises.
“So let’s all have a blast tonight for Carrie,” he added. Star Wars: the Last Jedi, predicted to be the box office smash of the Christmas period, ends with a dedication to Fisher, who created the role of Princess Leia in 1977. “She has no friends, no family, her planet was blown up in seconds, along with her hairdresser,” Fisher once said of Leia’s distinctive hairstyle.
The film ends with a dedication to Fisher, who plays Princess Leia and died last December aged 60 after completing her work on The Last Jedi. Her character, now known as General Leia Organa, leader of the Resistance, plays a key role in the film. She died of a heart attack in December 2016, having finished all the filming and most of the sound recording for The Last Jedi, in which her character has a central role.
Walt Disney’s The Last Jedi, follows 2015’s The Force Awakens and picks up with the Resistance fighting off Supreme Leader Snoke’s First Order, which is trying to take control of the galaxy. Johnson said: “I want to dedicate tonight to Carrie, who is up there right now flipping me the bird, saying ‘Damn it Rian, don’t you dare make this night a solemn tribute’.”
The film explores themes of the battle to find a balance in the Force, the supernatural energy that runs through the Star Wars galaxy. Reviews of the film are embargoed until 12 December. Celebrity guests and actors in the film walked into the Shrine Auditorium past a guard of stormtroopers and droids, and giant models of assault vehicles and transporters.
The cast, including Ridley, John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis and Hamill, walked the red carpet at the premiere, surrounded by droids and stormtroopers. The British actor John Boyega, who plays the stormtrooper-turned-resistance-fighter Finn for the second time, reached LA with moments to spare after several cast members and Johnson were snowed in at Atlanta, where hundreds of flights were cancelled.
Guests walked into the entrance of the premiere flanked by larger-than-life AT-AT Walker transport vehicles. When Boyega tweeted that no planes were leaving the city, Johnson responded: “Hahahaha oh my god GET HERE JOHN!”
Johnson paid tribute to Fisher on the red carpet. “Once the audience sees her performance in this movie, she’s going to be there in all our hearts,” he said. “It’s bizarre not having her here tonight. She would be the life of the party,” he said. The snow turned to rain just in time, and Boyega made his flight.
I made it ! Without luggage but wooooooooohoooo! As if weather can stop a Nigerian kmt
Lupita Nyong’o, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis and Mark Hamill also made it on time. The British actor Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey and wore a sequin dress covered in stars, said: “It’s just fun. It’s fun. And I feel fun. And it’s got stars on it.”
Laura Dern, who plays the vice-admiral Amilyn Holdo, admitted being starstruck and overawed to meet the real R2-D2 when she first joined the cast, saying: “It’s like being seven years old again. We are all the age we were when when we first saw Star Wars.”
The film is the second in a new trilogy of Star Wars films, following The Force Awakens in 2015, which introduced a new cast of younger actors including Boyega. The Last Jedi features for the first time the Porgs, wide-eyed, puffin-like creatures certain to be among the most heavily merchandised characters from the film.
The Last Jedi opens in cinemas next week and is predicted to take more than $200m (£149m) over its opening weekend in the US.