Although Disney and Lucasfilm ruled out the possibility of digitally recreating Carrie Fisher for Star Wars: Episode IX following her passing in December, her brother Todd Fisher has now revealed to The New York Daily News that he and her daughter Billie Lourd have granted permission for the studio to incorporate recent footage of Fisher into the third chapter of the Sequel Trilogy.
“Both of us were like, ‘Yes, how do you take her out of it?’ And the answer is you don’t,” said Fisher. “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. I feel like that’s what’s happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue. You don’t mess with this legacy. 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 has completed her work on December’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi prior to her death, and Disney’s Bob Iger has confirmed that no changes will be made to that film, so it would seem unlikely that scenes intended for Episode VIII will be held back for the next instalment, which is said to begin production in July. Presumably the recent footage will therefore consist of unused material from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its upcoming sequel.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is set for release on December 15th 2017, with Star Wars: Episode IX following on May 24th, 2019.
Originally published April 8, 2017. Updated November 30, 2022.
