Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer set to be most popular of all-time after epic first week

Safe to say the force is with this first teaser as it racks up 58.2m YouTube views

Stormtroopers in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer (Star Wars)

The first teaser clip for Star Wars: The Force Awakens is on track to be the most viewed trailer in history.

The 88-second first glimpse at JJ Abrams’ upcoming film has notched up 58.2 million YouTube hits since it dropped on 28 November and has already enjoyed the best first week of any trailer this year, beating Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Fans were told that the first Star Wars trailer was coming, leading to an explosion of excitement on social media.

Since its release, the clip has been widely praised, criticised and parodied, including by one YouTube user who impressively recreated it scene for scene in Lego.

The trailer gave fans sneak peeks at the movie’s fresh lead actors – John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac as well as showcasing the new lightsaber and the iconic Millennium Falcon.

Original cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher are returning to their roles as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia respectively.

The seventh instalment in the sci-fi franchises hits big screens on 18 December 2015.

The Jurassic World trailer also overtook Avengers this week, racking up 53.9 million YouTube views since it was shared on 25 November. That movie reaches cinemas on 12 June 2015.