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Leia is in 'Star Wars: Episode IX' thanks to old Carrie Fisher footage
Star Wars: Episode IX will begin production on August 1st, Lucasfilm announced today. The film will also feature a surprising cast member: Carrie Fisher will reprise the role of Leia, using footage she previously shot for The Force Awakens. We heard that Lucasfilm would potentially use Fisher's old material last year, but producer Kathleen Kennedy shot those rumors down, claiming at the time that Leia wouldn't be in the next film. But of course, that was before we knew J.J. Abrams would be returning to direct and re-write the film (together with Chris Terrio), following Collin Trevorrow's ousting.
Carrie Fisher will be in 'Star Wars: Episode IX' without use of CG (update: no)
Lucasfilm swore that it wouldn't create a digital version of the late, great Carrie Fisher for future Star Wars movies, but that doesn't mean she'll be cut out entirely. Her brother Todd has revealed that Disney still wants to include Carrie in Episode IX, but that it plans to use recent footage of the actress instead of relying on a computer generated facsimile. Both Todd and Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd, have granted permission to use the shots.
Lucasfilm says it has 'no plans' for a digital Carrie Fisher
Given the recent release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story featuring an actor who died in 1994, and the recent passing of actress Carrie Fisher, perhaps it was inevitable there would be rumors she would get the same treatment. Lucasfilm has responded to murmurings that it is in negotiation to use her likeness, telling fans of the franchise that "Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher's performance as Princess or General Leia Organa." The use of the technology introduces some new questions about whether it should be used, and if so, when, but there may not be easy answers. In this case, however, it appears that Fisher's existing performances (and scenes already shot for the upcoming Episode VIII movie) will stand alone without any posthumous additions.
How 'Rogue One' used CG to complete its cast
Spoilers ahead for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Two weeks ago, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story debuted, a side tale devoted to bridging the gap between the prequels and original trilogy. But it also spent time with numerous nods to the latter, including digitally resurrecting a character portrayed by an actor who passed away in 1994. While the CG necromancy earned mixed reactions, the resulting animation is an incredible achievement requiring the Rogue One filmmakers to walk a tightrope of technical and ethical concerns.
