Carrie Fisher Honored By Disney And Returns To Star Wars As Leia One Last Time

Star Wars fans are still mourning the double loss of Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, but that hasn’t kept the franchise from moving forward. There has been a short delay in future projects while Walt Disney Studios found themselves facing a moral dilemma in regard to how they would handle the future of Fisher’s character, Leia Organa. In the end, it was decided that using CGI to recreate Carrie for future films would be in poor taste, but that doesn’t mean Carrie Fisher is done with the Star Wars franchise. Updated news indicates that Fisher will be back as Leia without the computerized technology and with the Fisher family’s blessing.

Star Wars: Episode IX Will Bring Carrie Fisher Back as Leia

Carrie Fisher was thought to have completed her role as Leia in the new Star Wars trilogy, due to her untimely passing, but, as Rolling Stone shares, that has turned out not to be the case. Todd Fisher and Carrie’s daughter, actress Billie Lourde, have given Disney permission to include the late actress in Star Wars: Episode IX, though they assure fans that CGI technology will not be used to recreate Ms. Fisher for the film.

Also, Episode IX has not yet started filming, raising questions about how Carrie’s likeness will be included in the film. As it turns out, there is previously filmed footage of Fisher as Leia Organa that has never been used in any released Star Wars films and Carrie’s surviving family members have given the studio their blessing in using that material in the new Star Wars sequel.

“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,” Todd Fisher said.

“I feel like that’s what’s happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue.”

Carrie’s brother continued to say that he feels the Star Wars legacy could be harmed by taking Leia out of the story without giving fans a sense of closure. He wouldn’t divulge any information on exactly what footage would be used or how Star Wars: Episode IX would be changed to allow for the footage to be used, but he did say he has complete confidence in the filmmakers.

Carrie Fisher had completed filming Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi before her death and it’s rumored that she played a significant role in that film, so the scenes in question most likely come from that film.

Disney to Honor Carrie Fisher with a New Award

Disney is doing more to remember Carrie Fisher than just reusing footage for a new Star Wars film. As Hamilton Spectator reports, Ms. Fisher will be honored with the posthumous presentation of the Disney Legends Award, during a ceremony at this year’s D23 Expo. Together with Mark Hamill, Fisher will be honored for her role as Princess Leia (and General Leia) in the ongoing Star Wars saga.

Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger will be hosting the event and he feels confident that both Hamill and Carrie are equally deserving of the award for their years of service to the sci-fi franchise.

“The Disney Legends Award is the highest honor our company can bestow on an individual, reserved for those few who have truly made an indelible mark on the history of The Walt Disney Company. It’s a celebration of talent, a recognition of achievement, and an expression of gratitude to the men and women whose work has significantly contributed to Disney’s enduring reputation for creative excellence…”

Past celebrities to have been honored with Disney Legends Awards include Julie Andrews, Alan Menken, Robin Williams, and George Lucas.

[Featured Image by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]