Carrie Fisher to Appear in ‘Star Wars: Episode IX,’ Brother Confirms
Carrie Fisher‘s brother Todd has confirmed that the late actress will appear as Princess Leia in Episode IX of the third Star Wars trilogy, even though filming on that sequel has not yet begun.
While Disney and Lucasfilm have already pledged not to feature the actress via CGI technology – something they implemented for her Rogue One cameo – Todd Fisher said he and Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd have given the studio permission to feature previously shot unused footage of Fisher in the 2019 film.
“She’s as much a part of it as anything and I think her presence now is even more powerful than it was, like Obi Wan — when the saber cuts him down he becomes more powerful,” Todd Fisher told the Daily News. “I feel like that’s what’s happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue.”
Fisher’s brother continued, “Both of us were like, ‘Yes, how do you take her out of it?’ And the answer is you don’t.”
Todd Fisher didn’t elaborate how the storyline would be altered following his sister’s death or what footage producers will utilize but expressed confidence in the filmmakers’ ability to “do great things” with the character’s legacy.
Carrie Fisher had finished shooting on the upcoming Episode VIII: The Last Jedi at the time of her December 27th death. In early January, Star Wars producers and writers congregated to determine how to continue Leia’s storyline into Episode IX following the actress’ death; Leia reportedly plays a significant role in The Last Jedi.
Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow recently revealed that the first draft of the ninth installment of the Star Wars saga has been written.
In Rogue One, a story that takes place between 1977’s Star Wars and 2005’s Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the production team employed a CGI Princess Leia to serve as an important conduit between the chapters. That technology sparked rumors of producers using a similar method to deal with Fisher’s death for Episode IX, but that was swiftly denied.
“We don’t normally respond to fan or press speculation, but there is a rumor circulating that we would like to address,” Lucasfilm wrote on the official Star Wars site. “We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess or General Leia Organa.”