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'Star Wars' opening night: Mark Zuckerberg's baby, fans celebrate 'Force Awakens'

"Star Wars" fans have been waiting a long time for this, and it's clear that they can't contain their excitement.
/ Source: TODAY

"Star Wars" is back!

The latest installment in the big-screen saga opened Friday and with it, not only do fans get to revisit the galaxy far, far away, they also get to revisit the three original stars.

Harrison Ford, like Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, reprises his iconic role in "The Force Awakens," but why exactly did he decide to bring Han Solo back?

NBC News correspondent Kelly Cobiella caught up with the star and got the answer.

TODAY

And it's a simple one: "I came back absolutely for the fans," he said.

Because, after all, it's not just the stars who are returning.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Teaser #2
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Teaser #2YouTube

"The audience is back — hooray!" Ford said.

Of course the audience is back. Those appreciative fans have been waiting a long time for this, and it's clear that they can't contain their excitement.

Just take a take a look at this weather forecast from English anchor and "Star Wars" superfan Sian Welby.

If it sounds like she just said "if you Luke father west..." while pointing at the map, that's because she did!

Not only did Welby give viewers a heads up on the weather, she filled her report with 12 fantastic "Star Wars" puns at the same time.

It's not just faithful fans who are getting into the spirit of "The Force Awakens." Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared a photo of his newborn daughter, Max, on Thursday that proves it's never too early to join the fandom.

When Cobiella spoke to Ford, she asked him how it felt to see all the fan excitement (and to hear about all those sold-out theaters).

"Better than a slap in the belly with a wet fish," he said. "It's good, this is good. I'm very grateful."

Follow Ree Hines on Twitter.