Star Wars: The Last Jedi wins big at Empire Awards 2018

Rey star Daisy Ridley pipped Frances McDormand to the post for Best Actress, and the movie also took home awards for Best Visuals and Best Costume Design.

• John Boyega has revealed when filming for Star Wars: Episode IX will start
• JJ Abrams’ Star Wars Episode IX will go in “unexpected” directions
• Steven Spielberg couldn’t get the rights to Star Wars for Ready Player One

Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg was presented with the Legend of Our Lifetime prize in recognition of his much-decorated 40-year career as a film director.

In his acceptance speech, Spielberg took the opportunity to show his support for the Time’s Up movement, an initiative designed to fight sexual harassment, assault and inequality in the workplace.

Spielberg said that Time’s Up is "more important than any of us can ever really realise".

"It's been a rich and diverse year for film and for gender and for race, and for speaking out,” he said.

"Thank you, Time's Up. We were very much on board from the very beginning, my wife Kate and I.

"This is more important than any of us can ever really realise."

The triple Oscar-winner added: "I think in 10 years we'll look back and realise what a watershed moment we are all experiencing together. 2017 to 2018, it's extraordinary what's happening right now."

Other notable wins of the evening were Hugh Jackman who was awarded Best Actor for his role in Logan. His co-star Dafne Keen was voted Best Female Newcomer.

Best Male Newcomer, meanwhile, went to Josh O’Connor for God’s Own Country.

Wonder Woman picked up the Best Sci-fi/Fantasy gong while Get Out was awarded the Best Horror prize.

Nicole Kidman won the Best Actress in a TV Series award for her performance in Big Little Lies and Jason Isaacs won in the male category for Star Trek: Discovery.

The Empire Film Awards are voted for by the public and were hosted at the Roundhouse in Camden, London.