Carrie Fischer ‘footage’ will be used to add Leia in ‘Star Wars 9’ says Todd Fisher
UPDATE: During Star Wars Celebraton it was confirmed during an interview with ABC News by Kathleen Kennedy that Carrie Fisher will not return to Star Wars after Last Jedi.
“[Todd] was probably confused, because we finished everything in [Episode] 8, and Carrie is absolutely phenomenal in the movie. We’re so happy that we were able to complete shooting in the summer.
“Unfortunately, Carrie passed away, so by the time we were well underway with Episode 9 – in our thoughts, we had not written the script yet – we regrouped, we started over again in January, so sadly Carrie will not be in [Episode] 9. We’ll see a lot of her in [Episode] 8.”
The late Carrie Fisher will make an appearance from beyond the grave in the final Star Wars movie of the new trilogy, Star Wars Episode IX, says her brother Todd Fisher speaking with the Confidential.
“Both of us were like, ‘Yes, how do you take her out of it?’ And the answer is you don’t,” said Fisher, referring to he and Carrie’s daughter, Billie Lourd, have granted the studio rights to use recent footage for the finale.
It is understood that CGI will not be used to recreate Leia. There was a fair amount of disapproval of the scene in Rogue One where a CGI enhanced-recreated version was used.
“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,” Fisher added, speaking while attended the opening night gala of the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles, celebrating “In the Heat of the Night.”
“I feel like that’s what’s happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue.”
Fisher confesses that the studio has a lot to say about the role in the upcoming film, but feels that fans are the true voice that matters, adding that he had total faith in the filmmakers to “do great things.”
“I’m not the only part in that equation, but I think the people deserve to have her,” said Fisher. “She’s owned by them.”
“You don’t mess with this legacy,” he said. “It would be like rewriting the Bible. To me, ‘Star Wars’ is the holy grail of storytelling and lore and you can’t mess with it.”
Fisher said he was “touched” and “proud” at the outcry of love that followed the deaths of his sister and their mother Debbie Reynolds, who died just days apart in December.
“Carrie and I grew up with a magical life, we really did, and there are a lot of stories to tell. Carrie and I actually wrote some things together. It’s very likely that I’ll get to those now sooner than I would have normally, because we didn’t think the stories were going to end.
“Now that they’ve ended, the stories probably should be told. So there’s some magic left in us and there are a lot of Carrie’s words left unspoken that will be spoken.”
A special tribute is scheduled for this weekend’s Star Wars Celebration in Orlando with Mark Hamill on hand to pay tribute to his famous co-star.
