Forget the Oscars. Ignore the Baftas. Don't even consider the Golden Globes. The only awards show worth your time is the Three Empire Awards, even if we do say so ourselves. The 22nd edition of the ceremony from the world's biggest-selling movie magazine took place in a glitzy bash at London's Roundhouse, with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them among the biggest winners, with all competitive awards voted for by the public.
The acclaimed Star Wars spin-off took home three of the biggest prizes, including Best Film, Best Actress for Felicity Jones, and Best Director for Gareth Edwards, who joked: "This is not the first time we've infiltrated the Empire and caused an upset."
Elsewhere, Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts took home four prizes, with Eddie Redmayne winning Best Actor for his role as Newt Scamander; in a video message, he promised to keep this "shiny object away from the Niffler". And Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake had a good night, winning Best British Film, and Best Male Newcomer for its 61-year-old star Dave Johns. "The pensioners are coming!" he chuckled in a hilarious acceptance speech.
There were also special awards for three icons beloved of Empire. Luc Besson took home the Empire Inspiration award; Tom Hiddleston was awarded the Empire Hero trophy; and in the final gong of the night, Sir Ian McKellen presented his friend Sir Patrick Stewart the Empire Legend award. "A legend award? Come on Patrick, it doesn't mean to say your career is over!", Stewart laughed, accepting the award from McKellen with a customary kiss on the lips.
The full list of winners and nominees can be found below. Read the live blog as it happened here. See galleries of the winners and red carpet arrivals here.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND NOMINEES
BEST MALE NEWCOMER presented by Pure Organic
Winner: Dave Johns (I, Daniel Blake)
Julian Dennison (Hunt For The Wilderpeople)
Lewis MacDougall (A Monster Calls)
Riz Ahmed (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Tom Holland (Captain America: Civil War)
BEST FEMALE NEWCOMER presented by London Hilton on Park Lane
Winner: Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch)
Sennia Nanua (The Girl With All the Gifts)
Sasha Lane (American Honey)
Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake)
Angourie Rice (Nice Guys)
BEST SCI-FI/FANTASY presented by Three
Winner: A Monster Calls
Arrival
Doctor Strange
Rogue One
10 Cloverfield Lane
BEST COMEDY presented by Absolute Radio
Winner: The Greasy Strangler
Hunt For The Wilderpeople
Deadpool
The Nice Guys
Ghostbusters
BEST HORROR presented by Monkey Shoulder
Winner: The Witch
Under The Shadow
Green Room
The Conjuring 2
Don't Breathe
BEST THRILLER presented by MCM Comic Con
Winner: Jason Bourne
Victoria
Nocturnal Animals
Hell or High Water
Captain America: Civil War
BEST BRITISH FILM presented by The Hollywood Reporter
Winner: I, Daniel Blake
High Rise
The Girl With All The Gifts
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Eddie The Eagle
BEST ACTOR presented by Three
Winner: Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts)
Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)
BEST ACTRESS presented by Three
Winner: Felicity Jones (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Natalie Portman (Jackie)
Amy Adams (Arrival)
Ruth Negga (Loving)
Emma Stone (La La Land)
BEST DIRECTOR presented by Vue Entertainment
Winner: Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Taika Waititi (Hunt For The Wilderpeople)
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
Ken Loach (I, Daniel Blake)
Andrea Arnold (American Honey)
BEST FILM presented by Sky Cinema
Winner: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Hunt For The Wilderpeople
Arrival
La La Land
Deadpool
BEST SCREENPLAY
Winner: Deadpool
Arrival
The Nice Guys
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Hell or High Water
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner: Finding Dory
Kubo And The Two Strings
Anomalisa
Moana
Your Name
BEST DOCUMENTARY presented by Green Tomato Cars
Winner: Supersonic
13th
Weiner
My Scientology Movie
The Beatles: Eight Days A Week
BEST TV SERIES presented by Magic Radio
Winner: The Night Manager
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
Sherlock
Westworld
BEST SOUNDTRACK
Winner: La La Land
Sing Street
The Greasy Strangler
Arrival
Moana
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Winner: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Doctor Strange
Deadpool
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Captain America: Civil War
BEST MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING
Winner: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Suicide Squad
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
The Neon Demon
Star Trek: Beyond
BEST SHORT FILM
Winner: Disney's Inner Workings
Piper
Town vs Gown
Thunder Road
Borrowed Time
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Winner: Doctor Strange
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
The Jungle Book
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Captain America: Civil War
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Winner: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Doctor Strange
Arrival
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
BEST VIDEO GAME
Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Overwatch
Battlefield 1
FIFA 17
The Last Guardian
EMPIRE HERO
Tom Hiddleston
EMPIRE INSPIRATION
Luc Besson
EMPIRE LEGEND
Sir Patrick Stewart