With the passing of Carrie Fisher last year, fans have wondered how the final film in the film in the current Star Wars trilogy would handle the absence of the beloved Princess Leia actress. Would the role be recast? Would there be a time jump that would we see Leia’s death in the interim and off-screen?
The answer to that question has come with the official announcement of the cast for the film just released by Lucasfilm and director J. J. Abrams, who will be using unused footage of Fisher shot during the production of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens to have the character participate in the upcoming film.
“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” says Abrams. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”
Star Wars: Episode IX will also star Mark Hammill, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd.
Episode IX is set for a December 20, 2019 release date.
I’m dubious… I suspect they’ll use a digital version based on prior film input and massaged by the computer. It’s almost undetectable now.