Noura Al Kaabi, CEO of twofour54, and Chair of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, welcomed guests from another galaxy at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 15.

The six stormtroopers from the UK and German garrisons of the 501st Legion will join the UAE's stormtroopers to greet guests at the second worldwide premiere of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in Abu Dhabi at Emirates Palace on Wednesday, December 16.

Episode VII, part of which was filmed in Abu Dhabi last year, is one of the most heavily hyped cinema events in recent years, smashing all records for advance ticket sales in the US.

"Having Star Wars: The Force Awakens screen in Abu Dhabi prior to its general release is a real validation for how successful the filming was while the production was here,” said Noura Al Kaabi, twofour54's chief executive. "To date, all of the trailers and TV spots for the film have included scenes from Abu Dhabi, which have generated unprecedented excitement around the globe. "We are very proud of our achievements and excited for audiences around the world to experience Abu Dhabi on the big screen”.

Abu Dhabi provides the landscape for the planet Jakku, "a frontier desert planet in a remote section of the Outer Rim Territories”, according to StarWars.com

With assistance from twofour54 and the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, filming for the movie took place in the Emirate in May last year, during which 650 crew members worked at two locations.

The Force Awakens, is the seventh instalment in the Star Wars franchise and is expected to be one of the most successful films of all time.

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens is scheduled for general release in UAE cinemas at 12am on Thursday, December 1.

Source: The National