Carrie Fisher WILL NOT be recreated via CGI for Episode IX or any other films

[DigiFluid]

An exceedingly rare direct statement from Lucasfilm:

A STATEMENT REGARDING NEW RUMORS

We don’t normally respond to fan or press speculation, but there is a rumor circulating that we would like to address. We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess or General Leia Organa.

Carrie Fisher was, is, and always will be a part of the Lucasfilm family. She was our princess, our general, and more importantly, our friend. We are still hurting from her loss. We cherish her memory and legacy as Princess Leia, and will always strive to honor everything she gave to Star Wars.

[Gatefan1976]

Good news!!

[garhkal]

I agree. I would rather they NOT have her digitally created, then potentially bugger it up (like imo they did for Rogue one).
But they could 'voice over' her in at some point, say coming across a broadcast...

[Traianus Augustus]

While I'm glad that they've decided not to go the CG route, I thought they did a pretty good job with Tarkin and Leia in Rogue One. There is a bit of an uncanny valley vibe to them, but at the same time it didn't bother me that much. I think it shows how far the technology has come in the ten years since the prequels were released.

[Annoyed]

I saw Rogue One today, and my first thought that it was a nice tribute to Carrie, but then I realized the release date was before her death.

But this announcement is probably more of a PR bit than anything else. Common sense would dictate that doing her with CGI would alienate a large section of the fan base they purchased when they bought the franchise. Disney would have to be insane to try it in the first place.

[garhkal]

While I'm glad that they've decided not to go the CG route, I thought they did a pretty good job with Tarkin and Leia in Rogue One. There is a bit of an uncanny valley vibe to them, but at the same time it didn't bother me that much. I think it shows how far the technology has come in the ten years since the prequels were released.

Tarkin imo was well done CGI.. Leia on the other hand, to ME, was poor CGI..

[rushy]

Tarkin imo was well done CGI.. Leia on the other hand, to ME, was poor CGI..

For me, it was the opposite. Whenever Tarkin moved his head, it seemed a bit unreal and stiff to me(I don't mind, though, just seeing Cushing on-screen was a thrill). Leia was only in it for a short moment, so that wasn't a problem.

[Morbo]

Be curious how they create the story to not include her then - she gonna be killed offscreen between movies? Lame.

[DigiFluid]

I certainly don't expect she'll just be the proverbial 'voice on a radio.' Might be that Episode IX opens with the protagonists at her memorial?

Either way, this kinda sucks for Mark Hamill. With Han killed off in-universe and now Carrie Fisher gone in the real world, he's left as the sole (human) member of the classic OT gang.

[Skydiver]

I don't know if Harrison would go for it or not, but they could always bring him back green glowy if the plot demands. Or general Organa goes off on some secret mission and, at some point, they do the ghostly her and Han 'together forever'

I understand her scenes for the next movie were filmed so they have a year or more to come up with something.

[Gatefan1976]

I don't think they will bring Han back as a force ghost, it would fly in the face of what Harrison ford wanted for Han. It's also problematic from a canon POV as light-siders have to -learn- how to do it (which makes Anakin a bit odd TBH)

[Annoyed]

I think Harrison told Lucas quite some time ago (after Ep. 6?) that they only way he would appear in another SW movie was if Solo died.

I don't think Ford will go along with another film.

[garhkal]

I certainly don't expect she'll just be the proverbial 'voice on a radio.' Might be that Episode IX opens with the protagonists at her memorial?

Either way, this kinda sucks for Mark Hamill. With Han killed off in-universe and now Carrie Fisher gone in the real world, he's left as the sole (human) member of the classic OT gang.

Don't forget R2, 3p0 and chewie..

[DigiFluid]

Don't forget R2, 3p0 and chewie..

I did say human member...and sadly, Kenny Baker passed away last year too.

[DigiFluid]

According to Carrie's brother Todd, she will appear in Episode IX. Sounds like, as previously asserted, it will not be via CGI recreation, but rather that it'll be via existing (but presumably not previously shown) footage.

The late Carrie Fisher will appear in final Star Wars movie, says brother Todd Fisher

The late Carrie Fisher will make an appearance from beyond the grave in the final Star Wars movie, her brother Todd Fisher tells Confidential.

After months of speculation about Carrie's future in the sci-fi saga, Todd has revealed that Disney bosses want to bring Princess Leia back for Episode IX. And he said he and Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd, have granted the studio rights to use recent footage for the finale. It is understood that CGI will not be used to recreate Leia.

“Both of us were like, ‘Yes, how do you take her out of it?’ And the answer is you don't,” said Fisher, as he attended the opening night gala of the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles, celebrating “In the Heat of the Night.”

“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.”

To what extent Leia will figure in to the storyline is not clear. “I’m not the only part in that equation, but I think the people deserve to have her,” said Fisher. “She's owned by them.”

And he said he had total faith in the filmmakers to “do great things.”

“You don't mess with this legacy,” he said. “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 said he was “touched” and “proud” at the outcry of love that followed the deaths of his sister and their mother Debbie Reynolds, who died just days apart in December. And the actor and director said one of his next projects may be a collaboration of sorts with his late sister.

“Carrie and I grew up with a magical life, we really did, and there are a lot of stories to tell. Carrie and I actually wrote some things together. It's very likely that I'll get to those now sooner than I would have normally, because we didn't think the stories were going to end. Now that they’ve ended, the stories probably should be told. So there’s some magic left in us and there are a lot of Carrie’s words left unspoken that will be spoken.”