The Hollywood Reporter brings word that the House of Mouse has assembled its Star Wars brain trust – namely Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow and Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy, among others – to plan out the future of Carrie Fisher’s Leia Organa in Episode VIII and beyond.
Fisher, who so tragically passed away late last month, has already completed her scenes for Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII, teeing up a potential reunion between General Leia and her wayward sibling, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). If THR’s sources are to be believed, that’s not the only landmark meeting set to occur, as Fisher’s character will also confront Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), though rumor has it that said encounter will be reserved until Colin Trevorrow’s Episode IX.
Originally, plans were in place for Episode IX to feature Carrie Fisher’s biggest role in this new, retooled trilogy – bigger than even her involvement in Star Wars: Episode VIII –Â hence Disney’s decision to bring together the franchise’s key creative players to fine-tune her character arc. No further details were disclosed at such an early stage, but it seems CGI effects aren’t necessarily off the table following their inclusion in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
“I have no doubt, given some of the recent work I’ve seen, there are filmmakers who will be willing to take up the challenge,” says Michael Fink, an Oscar-winning VFX. But, “so far, we have seen moments of success but not full performances.” Fink says there’s also ethics to weigh: “Should we create additional roles for Princess Leia? I don’t think so.”
Then again, Disney may well decide to write Carrie Fisher’s character out of the equation and order reshoots – something the Star Wars series has done in the past – but we’ll keep you posted one way or another.
Come December 15, 2017, Star Wars: Episode VIII will introduce the next chapter in Disney’s core saga, before Colin Trevorrow unleashes Episode IX two years later. It’ll kick-off production before the year’s end, if reports are to be believed.
