This is borderline astonishing. Lucasfilm NEVER responds to rumors. For just one example, in a recent Nerdist podcast with Mark Hamill, the actor told Chris Hardwick about finding real “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” spoilers online, alerting the company to the website and Lucasfilm essentially saying, “eh, if we do respond, we’ll give it credence. Let it be.”
READ MORE: Carrie Fisher Reportedly Had A “Major Role” In ‘Star Wars: Episode 9’
But tonight, in the face of recent rumors that have suggested Carrie Fisher could return as General Leia Organa in CGI’d form, Lucasfilm has spoke out to squash the falsehood. Here’s their statement:
We don’t normally respond to fan or press speculation, but there is a rumor circulating that we would like to address. We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess or General Leia Organa.
Carrie Fisher was, is, and always will be a part of the Lucasfilm family. She was our princess, our general, and more importantly, our friend. We are still hurting from her loss. We cherish her memory and legacy as Princess Leia, and will always strive to honor everything she gave to Star Wars.
Of course, these rumors seemed somewhat feasible at the time given the fact *SPOILERS, SPOILERS* that Lucasfilm’s own “Rogue One: A Star Wars” story brought one actor back from the dead in CGI form (Peter Cushing as Moff Tarkin) and even created a young Princess Leia through the magic of mo-cap and VFX.
Additionally, it was reported that General Leia Organa (her new title in the more recent trilogy), had a major role in “Star Wars: Episode IX,” the installment Colin Trevorrow of “Jurassic World” fame is directing (the details of which leaked too).The ramifications of an absent Carrie Fisher, who died of complications from a heart attack in late December, were apparently so influential on “Episode 9” the Kathryn Kennedy, Colin Trevorrow and the rest of the Lucasfilm story group were reconvening soon to try and figure out a new path forward without the iconic character.
Give the recently CGI’d characters, speculation grew that Lucasfilm could replicate Fisher just enough to get her through her intended Ep 9 scenes. Apparently, that’s not happening, but how the studio deals with the sudden absence of General Organa is going to be extremely tricky. Fisher will be seen next in “Star Wars: Episode VIII,” as her scenes were complete before her death. Beyond that? Probably some tricky screenwriting to pen her out of the movie; a shame considering the storyline that Lucasfilm had intended.