Lucasfilm announced that J.J. Abrams will begin filming Star Wars: Episode IX on August 1st at Pinewood Studios in London. In the announcement, they revealed that two original cast members will be returning for the "final installment of the Skywalker saga," Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher.
They will not use CGI to recreate Fisher's iconic General Leia, instead, they will use unseen footage filmed during Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. “We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” says Abrams. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”
Fisher died in December 2016, and fans started speculating what this would mean for the final film in the latest Star Wars trilogy. Her character, General Leia played a pivotal role in the second film of the trilogy, The Last Jedi and appeared to be set up to be a major part of the final movie. Some fans wondered if they would use CGI to recreate her, though Disney said they had no intention of doing so.
Star Wars: Episode IX is set to hit theaters in December 2019.
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