Earlier this summer, director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm revealed how General Leia will return for Star Wars: Episode IX despite Carrie Fisher’s untimely passing in 2016. Unused footage of Fisher from The Force Awakens will be used to fill out Leia’s role in the film. According to Fisher’s brother, Todd Fisher, it was important to him and the rest of the Fisher family that Leia have a part in the final installment of the Skywalker saga.
“My sister and Princess Leia are the same thing. And the idea of that story stopping and her not carrying forward is very disturbing to me,” said Fisher while speaking to ET Canada. “It is awesome that it worked out this way and, thanks to [director] J.J. Abrams, this is going to be very magical and important to us all.”
According to Fisher, it was an extremely difficult task for Abrams and the other producers to comb through the unused footage of Fisher and find a way to reintegrate it into Episode IX‘s story. However, Fisher appears to be happy with the results.
“It is not easy, I could tell you. For me, I have to watch a lot of these old movies and it is heartbreaking sometimes to see your family that has left us,” noted Fisher. “But if you believe in the way our family does – in the Force – we aren’t really apart at all and she will always be with us. But it is nice when you can put her back up on the screen and continue the story and continue the saga. That is important for all of us.”
“My niece [Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd] is really sensitive to the whole thing, the whole family is,” added Fisher. “Obviously we want to protect Carrie and [the] image of my mother, in particular. We are sensitive to how things are done and why they are done. This is one that you have got to embrace with a big hug.”
A report filed earlier this month suggested that Fisher’s footage from The Last Jedi may also be incorporated into Episode IX. But we probably won’t know the extent of Fisher’s role in Episode IX until it hits theaters on December 20, 2019.
