It has been seven years since the tragic passing of Star Wars royalty Carrie Fisher and while Star Wars: The Last Jedi was thought to be her final time performing onscreen, with unused footage of Fisher from The Force Awakens utilized in The Rise of Skywalker, the actress will return to the screen in what was her final film role in the fantasy Wonderwell after a “perilous” journey to its release on June 23rd.
Wonderwell comes from director Vlad Marsavin in his directorial debut and sees Fisher star alongside Rita Ora (Fifty Shades), Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper) and young actress Kiera Milward in her acting debut as the film’s lead character. The film was written by William Brookfield (Kidnapping Mr. Heineken) and is produced by Marsavin, Fred Roos, Alexander Roos, Orian Williams, Lee Rudnicki and Robert Bernacchi.
The synopsis for Wonderwell reads:
Set between contemporary Italy and a fantastical realm, the coming-of-age story follows Violet (Milward), an inquisitive girl living in Italy with her American parents and her beautiful older sister, Savannah (Tiger Free). When Savannah is selected to be the face of world-renowned designer Yana’s (Ora) fashion label, the family travels to an enchanting medieval village for a photo shoot. Neglected and bored, Violet wanders from the ancient Tuscan town into a nearby forest where she meets the enigmatic Hazel (Fisher), who warns her about Yana’s beleaguered stepson, Daniele (Croft). Guided by Hazel to a mysterious portal, Violet is offered a glimpse of what her future might hold.
Fisher passed away six weeks after completing production on Wonderwell in December 2016 after suffering a medical emergency on a flight and passing in hospital a few days later. Marsavin said the film will be dedicated to her, but one of the biggest reasons for Wonderwell‘s seven-year delay is due to the amount of VFX that had to be done in post for the fantasy element, something which caused the budget to balloon and of course lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic for two years.
“The journey we have taken as filmmakers with this movie, has been as perilous as that of the movie itself,” Marsavin said to Deadline. “From filming to screen it has taken us seven years. The visual effects on a movie of this magnitude takes time, but we were challenged with Covid lockdowns and of course the passing of our wonderful Carrie Fisher. Now is the perfect time to share her magical on screen moments as Hazel.”
On Fisher’s presence in the film and her untimely passing, Marsavin said “Carrie was full of energy during filming and even celebrated her 60th birthday with us in Italy where we shot the movie. After a night shoot, which went on until 2am, she invited the whole team to celebrate with her and the party ended up being shut down by the police because it was deemed a little too loud. Her passing was very emotional for the whole team.”
“Working alongside Carrie Fisher was one of those experiences that you never forget,” said Rita Ora. “I can’t wait for the world to see this intriguing and magical world of Wonderwell.”
Wonderwell will have a limited theatrical run through AMC theatres in the US followed by digital release on June 23, 2023. Vertical acquired distribution rights for the film in the US, UK and Ireland.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
