Star Wars Director Colin Trevorrow Discusses Carrie Fisher’s Role in the Ninth Film

Star Wars fans and casuals alike have been in turmoil ever since the unexpected death of Carrie Fisher. As shameful as it may be, one of the biggest questions left on everyone’s minds is what Lucasfilm will do with Princess Leia in the ninth film. The void left by Fisher’s passing has not only been felt in Hollywood, but is still reverberating through the Star Wars community.

Director Colin Trevorrow recently spoke with Cinemablend to promote his forthcoming movie The Book of Henry. During the interview, Trevorrow was asked about filming the ninth and final film without Fisher, and her future in both Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Episode IX.

“It was extremely sad for all of us, mostly just because she was so loved by the Star Wars family and everyone that worked with her,” Trevorrow said. The director admitted he and the crew were limited by refusing to go to extreme measures. It had already been confirmed they were not using CGI to recreate Princess Leia, nor would they repurpose unused footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

The probability of Fisher’s total absence from Episode IX is even more heartbreaking considering Fisher wanted Episode IX to be her movie. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy told Vanity Fair during their shoot for The Last Jedi preview, “The minute she finished, she grabbed me and said, ‘I’d better be at the forefront of IX!’ Because Harrison was front and center on VII, and Mark is front and center on VIII. She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been.”

It’s impossible to guess what will become of Princess Leia, considering we haven’t seen The Last Jedi yet, but it has been said her role in the eighth movie doesn’t change, which makes sense, as the film had finished shooting at the time of Fisher’s death. So while the future of Princess Leia is foreboding territory, this latest interview with Trevorrow reassures that us everyone involved with the film is working on the best possible ending for Leia given the circumstances.

Lucasfilm has since had to completely go back to the drawing board on Episode IX, as they are reluctant to recreate Fisher’s image via CGI or use leftover footage from other movies. Kennedy told EW they “pretty much started over” after Fisher’s death. While the thought of Fisher failing to get her center spot in Episode IX is tragic, it’s reassuring that Lucasfilm knows the gravitas of ending Leia’s role in the series the right way.

“I can guarantee it will be handled with love and respect, and all of the soul that Carrie Fisher deserves,” said Trevorrow.