The recent passing of actress Carrie Fisher was a devastating blow to many as the final curtain for 2016, being both one of the many beloved Star Wars icons that passed away (Kenny Baker, Erik Bauersfeld and even Michael Leader as the head-bumped Stormtrooper from A New Hope being a few of them) as well as an influential figure of Hollywood. With even the overwhelming passing of her mother Debbie Reynolds shortly after, this tragedy is still taking a lot to sink in for many fans, friends and family alike. A huge part of Star Wars and film history has indeed been taken from us.
While this is still a time for mourning, especially with those behind the scenes with the new Star Wars trilogy, it’s a lingering thought in all of us exactly how this will affect the production of the future of the series. While it was announced Fisher wrapped up her scenes for Episode VIII, we have discovered that the follow-up and conclusion of the epic trilogy was to feature a heavy story arc for her character.
That’s exactly what Disney and LucasFilms are exactly trying to figure out now. Colin Trevorrow, one of the script writers and the director of Episode IX, is set to meet with producer Kathleen Kennedy in LA around next week discussing the options. Disney refuses to comment on the current status of the script.
THR reports:
“Leia reunion with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and a confrontation with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), her son who killed Harrison Ford’s Han Solo.”
Unlike many productions with actor death affecting the production, this one in mind has a longer amount of time to figure out the fate of the character. There could be another actor to take the role, despite the huge shoes of the film and the fan’s reaction being very difficult to accept.
Another suggestion is just opting out Leia altogether much like Heath Ledger was considered to appear in The Dark Knight Rises before his untimely demise with all mentions of the Joker character non-existant. However, this feels unlikely with how much of a big role Leia has to the core series and what will be built up, so unless a proper closure could be made in the prior film with vast editing and a new course of story, it would seem to be an unfavorable option.
There is also the option of CGI, much like the late Paul Walker’s treatment from Fast and Furious 7. There were several instances where this was used on certain characters for Rogue One (without spoiling too much) and it isn’t a foreign method in this day and age. How long they decide for it to go on for with Leia’s role in the trilogy’s conclusion is another question to ask.
Regardless of what will happen, the conclusion of the trilogy is still set in the minds of the producers and the hearts of fans. While we may not get the film we want in the end, it doesn’t make it any less valuable to finish this journey for the Princess, now in a galaxy far, far away…
Source: The Hollywood Reporter