The cast for Star Wars: Episode IX, the final installment in the Skywalker saga, has been revealed on Friday. One surprise on the list of cast members is the name of late actress Carrie Fisher, who portrayed the character of Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies.
According to the Lucasfilm’s press release, Fisher will make an appearance in Episode IX via unused footage from 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” said Star Wars: Episode IX director J.J. Abrams 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. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie [Lourd], we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”
Before this, Lucasfilm said that there are no plans to re-create Leia digitally and that Carrie Fisher won’t appear in Star Wars: Episode IX following her death in 2016.
Besides Fisher, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, and Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian will all appear in the movie. This will be the first time for Williams to appear in Star Wars movies since 1983’s Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
It was also revealed that the filming of the movie will kick off on August 1st at Pinewood Studios in London. The release date is set for December 20th, 2019.
