'Rogue One' reactions land after the star-studded 'Star Wars' premiere party

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Actress Felicity Jones attends the world premiere of Lucasfilm’s standalone Star Wars adventure “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday night.

(Jesse Grant / Getty Images )

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An X-wing fighter at the world premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

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Walt Disney Co. Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, right, with his family, including his wife, Willow Bay, director of USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism.

(Marc Flores / Getty Images )

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At the premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.

(Marc Flores / Getty Images )

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Stormtroopers take over the red carpet at the “Rogue One” premiere.

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Actor Ben Mendelsohn signs a costumed fan’s helmet.

(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney)

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Actor Riz Ahmed attends the premiere for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” on Saturday night.

(Marc Flores / Getty Images for Disney)

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Star Felicity Jones signs Christopher “Dude Vader” Canole’s helmet.

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A TIE fighter at the world premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” (Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney)

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Actor Tony Revolori attends the premiere in Hollywood.

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Members of the cast and crew and Disney executives at the premiere.

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Screenwriter Chris Weitz, left, and Mercedes Weitz on the red carpet.

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Actor Peter Mayhew (sans wookiee suit) and Angie Mayhew at the premiere.

(Earl Gibson III / Getty Images for Disney)

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Actor Breckin Meyer checks out the X-wing.

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A TIE fighter helmet is displayed at the world premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

(Charley Gallay / Getty Images)

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Singer Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys and Mason Richardson at the premiere.

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Actor Donnie Yen, from left, Walt Disney Co. Chairman and CEO Bob Iger and actor Diego Luna at the premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

(Jesse Grant / Getty Images)

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TV host Chris Hardwick and model Lydia Hearst.

(Marc Flores / Getty Images for Disney)

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“Rogue One” director Gareth Edwards poses with costumed fans at the world premiere.

(Charley Gallay / Getty Images for Disney)

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Internet personality Rosanna Pansino.

(Marc Flores / Getty Images )

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Actors Ty Simpkins, left, and Ryan Simpkins.

(Marc Flores / Getty Images )

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Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew and actor Donald Faison.

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Actor Alan Tudyk at the Pantages Theatre.

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Actress Jaime King attends the “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” premiere.

(Marc Flores / Getty Images )

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At the world premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” at the Pantages Theatre.

(Charley Gallay / Getty Images for Disney)

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Actor Riz Ahmed signs autographs for fans on the “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” red carpet.

(Charley Gallay / Getty Images )

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The Death Star looms at the “Rogue One” premiere.

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A view from inside the world premiere of Lucasfilm’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

(Charley Gallay / Getty Images )

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Actor Diego Luna with his family on the red carpet.

(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney)

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Actor Diego Luna and producer Kathleen Kennedy.

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Actors Micah Fowler, left, and Diego Luna at the premiere.

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Actors Riz Ahmed, left, and Ben Mendelsohn.

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Actors Peter Mayhew, left, and Diego Luna.

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Director Gareth Edwards signs Christopher “Dude Vader” Canole’s helmet.

(Charley Gallay / Getty Images )

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Filmmaker Kevin Smith, right, attends the world premiere of “Rogue One.”

(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney)

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Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn with “Rogue One” star Felicity Jones.

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Actor Donnie Yen interacts with the fans at the world premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

(Rich Polk / Getty Images )

By Meredith Woerner

Dec. 11, 2016 1:15 PM PT

There ain't no party like a “Star Wars” party, ’cause a “Star Wars” party has spaceships. Very few premiere nights can brag about parking an X-Wing in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard or sandwiching a bar between the wings of a massive TIE fighter, but that is just the way the galaxy far, far away rolls.

Disney and Lucasfilm shut down a large chunk of Hollywood on Saturday night to unveil “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Directed by Gareth Edwards, it is the first “Star Wars” flick not directly tied to the episodic films from the past.

Reshoot rumors and tight-lipped plot lockdowns created a swirl of nervous anticipation before the screening at the Pantages Theater.

Reshoot rumors and tight-lipped plot lockdowns — the media were only shown 28 minutes of footage before interviews to avoid potential spoilers — created a swirl of nervous anticipation before the screening at the Pantages Theater. But after the credits rolled, the crowd (including actor Fred Savage, “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi, Fall Out Boy bassist-songwriter Pete Wentz and musician Moby) was ready to make merry at the after-party. The space — made up of various tents and tunnels connected to the Avalon — was chockablock with photo ops. Guests could take a picture with Darth Vader, various trooper-types, and even re-create actress Felicity Jones’ pose on the “Rogue One” poster — an activity with which party-goers gleefully filled their social media feeds. (Smart move Disney).

So what did the select few have to say about “Rogue One?” Here are some of the positive (albeit some surprised) reactions:

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The word from the official critics will land next week when the embargo is lifted. Until then, we’ll just have to marvel at all the secret “Star Wars” fans who popped by revealing their rebel colors. Who knew that Michael Douglas was a sci-fi fan?

Many members from the “Star Wars” family were also in attendance, Sam Witwer, who plays Starkiller (the secret apprentice) in the video game “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed,” brought the quizzical smolder to the carpet.

And representing the original crew of the Millennium Falcon was Peter Mayhew a.k.a. Chewbacca, who posed with Nerdist’s Chris Hardwick, actor Donald Faison (“Scrubs”) and “Star Trek’s” Wil Wheaton — who was sporting a “Star Wars” bow-tie.

And then there were the unexpected crossovers ...

“Rogue One” may not be generating the same early buzz as “The Force Awakens,” but for an old-school fan it was pretty great to see the classic Stormtroopers take the carpet instead of 2015’s upgraded troopers.

At the end of the night, when all the Death Star cakes were demolished and the last selfie in front of a Darth Vader was snapped, Disney truly managed to get this galaxy pretty excited about a totally new “Star Wars Story.”

[email protected]

Twitter: @MdellW

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