After Hollywood actress Carrie Fisher passed away on December 27, 2016, fans could be forgiven for thinking that they would never see her in a new “Star Wars” movie. However, it turns out that her “Star Wars” journey is not yet over. Disney and Lucasfilm have received permission from the late Fisher’s family to use recent footage taken of the actress to allow Leia to appear in “Star Wars: Episode Ix” in 2019.
Permission given to use completed footage of Carrie Fisher
The New York Daily News spoke to Todd Fisher and he said that he and Carrie’s daughter, Billie Lourd, have given their permission for Lucasfilm and Disney to use footage of the actress in the new film. Fisher had also completed work on “The Last Jedi.” Leia was reportedly going to be playing a bigger role in “Episode IX” than she did in that film.
You can’t take Carrie Fisher out of 'Star Wars'
Todd spoke at the TCM Classic Film Festival on Thursday in Los Angeles and said that both of them asked how you could take Carrie out of the movie, saying the answer is that you can’t.
He did tell the New York Daily News that he wasn’t sure how big his late sister’s role would now be in “Episode IX,” which is to be directed by Colin Trevorrow. The movie is reportedly very much a mystery so far. However, Todd said he is not the only part in the equation and he thinks people deserve to see Carrie in the film, adding that she is owned by them. Todd went on to say he had complete faith in the filmmakers, adding that you don’t mess with this legacy. He called “Star Wars” the “holy grail of storytelling.”
No CGI to be used of Carrie Fisher in future movies
According to a report by the Hollywood Reporter, rumors had surfaced online to say that filmmakers would be using CGI to create the role of Leia in future films.
However, back in January, Disney and Lucasfilms denied this. In their statement they said there were no plans to digitally recreate Carrie as Leia, as was done in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” last year. That movie showed Fisher as she was in the 1977 “Star Wars” film.
Tributes to the late Carrie Fisher
The fact that the completed footage of Carrie will be used in the upcoming movie is a touching tribute, indeed, for the much-loved actress. On top of that, Mark Hamill will be hosting a tribute to Fisher at the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, Florida next week, where the first trailer for “The Last Jedi” will debut. In March a public memorial honored both Carrie and her late mother and fellow actress, Debbie Reynolds, who passed away the day after the “Star Wars” actress.