The Hollywood Reporter take a look at the posthumous return of Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa in Episode IX, the manner of which was put out there well over a year ago by her brother Todd, who credits J.J. Abrams for bringing her back one final time.
In April 2017, the brother of the late Carrie Fisher said in an interview that Princess Leia would be featured in Episode IX via unused footage — a statement that was quickly shot down by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who said he was “confused.”
Well, Fisher was correct.
On Friday, it was revealed that unused footage taken during the production of 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be used in the upcoming film, bookending the new trilogy.
“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” returning director J.J. Abrams said in a statement. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character.”
The actress’ brother could not be happier, he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“J.J. [Abrams] really made this happen,” said Fisher.
After Todd Fisher made his comments last year, Kennedy said she had “no idea why he said that.”
The actress’ brother said he has no hard feelings. “If I was in any way an inspiration for the final decision to keep Leia a part of the story, that’s great,” he told THR. “I must say at times I felt like a voice crying in the wilderness.”
