Carrie Fisher, who was best known for her iconic role as Princess Leia Organa in the original 'Star Wars' trilogy, passed away on December 27, 2017, after suffering a heart attack. Following her passing at the age of 60, many Star Wars fans across the world paid tribute to the actress on social media with heartwarming posts and fan art. Many fans on the internet have wondered whether the death of the actress would change the role of Princess Leia in the next 'Star Wars' movie. Disney have previously used digital effects to bring deceased actors back to the big screen.
Could Fisher be 'brought back to life' with digital technology?
At the end of 'Rogue One', viewers got to see a fully digitalized version of Princess Leia who looked just like Fisher did when she first portrayed the character in 1977. Furthermore, a digitalized version of Peter Cushing's character, Grand Moff Tarkin, also made several on-screen appearances in the movie.
Cushing, of course, passed away in 1994. However, a significant leap in technology made it possible for the moviemakers to include his character in the most recent ‘Star Wars’ movie. This sparked a lot of controversy among filmgoers and critics alike, as many believed that ‘bringing back’ an actor who has been dead for over two decades was unethical and disrespectful.
Nonetheless, the use of digital technology remains a viable option for Disney in the case of Carrie Fisher. The Disney CEO, Bob Iger, has now officially stated that Fisher's final performance will not be digitally altered.
Carrie Fisher will not be digitalized in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi.'
Bob Iger confirmed that Fisher's final portrayal of Princess Leia would be left untouched in the upcoming movie.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Iger said: "We had to deal with tragedy at the end of 2016. Carrie appears throughout 'VIII.' We are not changing 'VIII' to deal with her passing. Her performance remains as it is in 'VIII.' In 'Rogue One,' we had some digital character. We are not doing that with Carrie."
This statement shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, as it has been previously reported that Fisher completed her work on the production of 'The Last Jedi' before her death in December. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if and how Disney will include Princess Leia in the yet unnamed Episode IX.
