Well, here’s some bad news: it’s been confirmed out of “Star Wars” celebration that Carrie Fisher won’t be appearing in “Star Wars: Episode IX.” To be directed by Colin Trevorrow (“Jurassic World”), fans found some solace in the fact that Fisher was reportedly going to appear in the final installment of the new “Star Wars” trilogy.
Last week Fisher’s brother, Todd Fisher said that Lucasfilm had asked for permission to use additional/extra footage of Fisher for ‘Episode IX.’ But on an ABC News interview today, Lucasfilm president Kathy Kennedy said Fisher was “confused” (video below).
“Sadly, Carrie will not be in nine,” Kennedy said during the aforementioned interview. “But we will see a lot of Carrie in eight.” This is a bit of a bombshell and likely a disappointment for “Star Wars” fans who assumed the filmmakers had at least found one way to work her into the plot.
“[Todd Fisher] was probably confused because we finished everything in ‘Eight,’ and Carrie is absolutely phenomenal in the movie” she said. “We’re so happy that we were able to complete shooting in the summer. Unfortunately, Carrie passed away. So by the time we were well under way with Episode IX — in our thoughts — we had not written the script, but we’ve regrouped and started over again in January.”
READ MORE: ‘Star Wars’ Celebration’s Lovely Tribute To Carrie Fisher [Watch]
In a separate interview with Yahoo, Kennedy said. “When Carrie passed away in December that was a huge blow for all of us, and it caused us to sit with Colin to really think where we were headed with ‘Episode IX.’ Carrie was a significant part in that story — that was something she very much wanted and something we very much wanted. But given the circumstances, we would not carry on with that.”
Yahoo adds that Kennedy said she and Trevorrow are “very close” on a revised script and will be meeting soon to discuss changes.
Meanwhile, Mark Hamill has also been playing coy. Asked by Fandango if he’d appear in ‘Episode IX’ that actor said slyly that the decision was yet “to be determined” which sent the internet in a bit of a tailspin. Does that mean Luke Skywalker will die in “The Last Jedi” and potentially come back as an Obi-Wan like force ghost in ‘Episode IX’? That’s crazy speculation and surely Hamill wouldn’t just casually drop a remark like that knowing what he knows about crazy “Star Wars” fans. Earlier at “Star Wars” Celebration and ‘The Last Jedi’ panel, the actor said essentially he’s not to be trusted. “I lie all the time,” he said of the jokes and gags he plays on social media. “I’m like the boy who cried wolf.” So, who are you going to believe now?
Directed by Colin Trevorrow, ‘Episode IX’ is set to hit theaters on May 23, 2019. Trevorrow and Rian Johnson are co-writing the screenplay together. ‘The Last Jedi’ opens on Christmas day.