Singer Rihanna strode onto the red carpet in London as she celebrated her role in Luc Besson’s sci-fi epic, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets.

She wore a flowing red gown for the occasion as she greeted fans in Leicester Square on Monday.

Rihanna arriving at the premiere (Ian West/PA)

The Umbrella star plays dancing, shape-shifting alien Bubble in the graphic novel adaptation, starring alongside model Cara Delevingne, Dane Dehaan and Clive Owen.

She told the screaming crowd: “I’m very excited to be here, I love London.

“When Luc Besson calls, you just go, you just show up.

I don’t care what it is, you just say: ‘Yes sir, I’m coming’.”

She also paid tribute to her director for being patient with her on set and “knowing I was new to this”.

Speaking of her character, who represents just one of the female heroes in the movie, she said: “I think of myself as a shape-shifter in terms of my music and my fashion, so I fell in love with her.”

Rihanna with co-stars Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan and director Luc Besson (Ian West/PA)

She added: “It’s a visually thrilling film. I was blown away, I didn’t know what to expect.

“I enjoyed every moment of it”.

A whirlwind of stunning effects, Valerian marks 20 years since Besson’s 1997 futuristic cult classic, The Fifth Element, starring Bruce Willis.

He told the Press Association: “The Fifth Element had 188 shots with special effects, this one has 2,700, so it’s just another level.

“The (previous) film was cool but I have more experience now and as a director I am much more satisfied with this one.”

The film Cara Delevingne (Ian West/PA)

Besson has spent the last seven years working on the movie alongside his wife and producer, Virginie Besson-Silla, who said that the world needs to see their favourite comic-book series on the big screen.

“We love the fact that we get to travel and leave the planet of everyday lives,” she said.

“Every morning when you get up you have to fight, and at least in this futuristic world anything is possible and you get to dream – that’s the big pull.”

Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets is released in UK cinemas on August 2.