The Star Wars community was left in mourning yesterday evening after news broke that Carrie Fisher, the actress, writer and humorist who played Princess Leia – and later General Organa – so brilliantly throughout Lucasfilm’s space opera, had passed away aged 60.
Among the reports to emerge after her untimely death, it was claimed that Fisher had just wrapped filming a large role in Star Wars: Episode VIII, Rian Johnson’s sequel currently on course for December 2017. Details remain few and far between at the moment, but we understand the Powers That Be over at Disney and Lucasfilm will now tweak the core story to accommodate Fisher’s absence, meaning Episode VIII will surely herald one of her final appearances on the silver screen – Star Wars or otherwise.
Looking further afield, there’s also a fleeting status update regarding Star Wars: Episode IXÂ which, according to Deadline, is now expected to be drafted before the cameras late next year. That’s a little later than previous estimations, after Episode IX was originally earmarked to begin in filming April, but it would appear that Disney and Lucasfilm have reshuffled the deck to ensure Colin Trevorrow’s sequel – one that will seemingly boast a considerable amount of IMAX scenes – won’t overlap with the production of Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Han Solo anthology film.
Star Wars: Episode IX is currently penciled in for May 23, 2019. That release date is subject to change, but when Trevorrow’s blockbuster does light up theatres, it’ll reportedly join Dunkirk and The Hateful Eight in Hollywood’s 65mm camp.
