Todd Fisher ‘thrilled’ for Carrie’s ‘Star Wars’ reprisal

Las Vegas Review-Journal

6 years ago

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) escape from the Death Star in “Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.”

Carrie Fisher attends a special screening of, “Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds,” at Alice Tully Hall in New York. J.J. Abrams says he will use unreleased footage of Fisher in the next “Star Wars” film to give the latest trilogy a “satisfying conclusion.” Lucasfilm and writer-director Abrams announced Friday, July 27, 2018, that footage Fisher shot for 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will be used in the ninth film in the space opera’s core trilogies about the Skywalker family. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

The cover of Todd Fisher’s memoir, “My Girls: A Lifetime With Carrie And Debbie.” (HarperCollins Publishers)

Todd Fisher is shown with fellow filmmakers at his Hollywood Motion Pictures Experience studio facilities in Las Vegas on April 10, 2018 (John Katsilometes/Las Vegas Review-Journal). @JohnnyKats

Debbie Reynolds, joined by daughter Carrie Fisher, son Todd Fisher and granddaughter Billie Lourd, performs in her penultimate show Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014 the South Point showroom. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Through the miracle of cinematography, Carrie Fisher offers one final performance as Princess Leia.

Fisher’s iconic role is being reprised posthumously in the upcoming “Star Wars: Episode IX.” Film producers Disney and Lucasfilm have culled previously unreleased footage of Fisher, originally shot for the 2015 release “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” for one final performance.

Fisher’s family is applauding the decision to include her once more in the new “Star Wars” film.

“I couldn’t be more personally thrilled and happy that our Carrie will reprise her role as Princess Leia in the new and final ‘Star Wars Episode IX,’ “ Fisher’s brother, Todd Fisher, said in a statement Saturday morning. “As we, her family, as well as her extended family of fans around the world so believe, Carrie’s Princess Leia is forever entrenched in the franchise and her indelible presence is fundamental to the film.”

Filming begins next week in London, and the film has announced a Dec. 20, 2019, release date.

Director J.J. Abrams said in announcing the news on StarWars.com: “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie (Lourd), we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia.”

Fisher created the legendary character in the original “Star Wars” trilogy. The daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, who died in December 2016, also appeared in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” That film was released nearly a year after Reynolds’ and Fisher’s deaths.

Todd Fisher lives in Las Vegas, where he operates his state-of-the-art Hollywood Motion Picture Experience production facility. He added, “J.J. Abrams understood Carrie’s iconic role, and he has masterfully re-crafted this final entry to include this unused and very last footage of Carrie ever taken, without resorting to CGI or animatronics.

“Our family and her fans will look forward with great anticipation for this one! Her force will forever be with us!”

Contact John Katsilometes at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.