Carrie Fisher Will Appear in "Star Wars: Episode IX"
Star Wars fans have been eagerly awaiting news about Episode IX, and Disney recently dropped a major bombshell about the upcoming film's casting: Carrie Fisher will posthumously reprise her role as Princess Leia.
In an announcement posted Friday, July 27 on starwars.com, fans were told that Carrie would appear in the film "using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Director J.J. Abrams noted in a statement that the production team never had any intention to replace her with a different actor or CG technology. "We desperately loved Carrie Fisher," he said. "Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us."
Abrams also noted that Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd, was consulted about the casting. "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," he explained. It's not surprising that Billie would support the decision, as the Scream Queens and American Horror Story star continues to find little ways to honor her late mother, such as getting a matching ankle tattoo and wearing a Princess Leia hairstyle to The Last Jedi premiere.
The recent casting announcement is a departure from what Lucasfilm executives said last year about Carrie's future involvement with the Star Wars franchise. In April 2017, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told Entertainment Weekly that Carrie wouldn't be in Episode IX, adding: "Obviously, with Carrie having passed away, it shook everybody. We pretty much started over." (However, that same month, Carrie's brother, Todd Fisher, indicated that Carrie would be in the film, using previously shot footage.)
Needless to say, the news about Carrie's involvement in Episode IX certainly hit home for fans. "I am so happy they've found a way to include Carrie Fisher in the next Star Wars film," one fan wrote, adding: "It was always meant to be 'Leia's film' after Ep7 was Han's and Ep8 was Luke's. It just wouldn't have felt right if she'd died/disappeared off-screen." Another Star Wars fan tweeted: "I still can't believe we get to see Carrie Fisher one more time on the big screen. This truly feels like Christmas."
Episode IX will also feature Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd. Disney's announcement added that Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell will be joining the cast, along with returning actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams. The film is slated to hit theaters in December 2019. Until then — may the force be with you.
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