'Rogue One' reactions land after the star-studded 'Star Wars' premiere party - Los Angeles Times
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‘Rogue One’ reactions land after the star-studded ‘Star Wars’ premiere party

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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.” 

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Twitter: @MdellW 

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