Early raves for Last Jedi after glittering premiere

Los Angeles

STORMTROOPERS, droids and celebrities from galaxies near and far hit the red carpet in the shadow of a giant AT-AT assault vehicle on Saturday at the glittering world premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi - although one star almost didn't make it.

John Boyega, who plays the heroic stormtrooper-turned-rebel Finn, had tweeted that he feared missing the big event because a snowstorm had gridlocked air travel out of Atlanta.

"Trying to get back for the LA premiere! I actually NEED a pilot !!!" he lamented, before turning up in the nick of time for the big screening in downtown LA after managing to catch a flight.

"It's thanks to Poe Dameron, the best pilot in the galaxy!" he joked on the red car…