Disney Denies Reports They’re Negotiating with Carrie Fisher’s Estate Regarding Future Star Wars Appearances

We’re all still reeling in the aftermath of Carrie Fisher leaving us too soon. We’re all still feeling it. One of the many questions that has come in the weeks following Fisher’s tragic death was how the Star Wars franchise would move forward. While a re-cast seems completely out of the question (because c’mon, how would that ever work?), some have theorized a write-out, much like Paul Walker in Furious 7. Either way, it’s a daunting task and a difficult decision, because there’s no possible way to make everyone happy.

Many have theorized that the filmmakers would take the controversial Rogue One approach, and completely re-create General Leia Organa via CGI. Well … last week, Lucasfilm producer Kathleen Kennedy and Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow reportedly got together to discuss how to move forward, and per Comic Book Movie, a BBC Newsnight anchor recently reported in a segment that Disney was in talks with Fisher’s estate, saying:

With what might be regarded as unseemly haste, Disney is negotiating with the actor’s estate over her continued appearance in the franchise. If Disney gets the go-ahead, Carrie Fisher will join Peter Cushing, who, last month, 15 years after his death, played a key role in Rogue One as Grand Moff Tarkin.

Disney, however, denies this report: per The Guardian, the company released a statement saying, “Disney is not in conversations with the estate of Carrie Fisher at this time and any reports to the contrary are false.”

The still-unnamed Episode IX won’t be released until 2019. Star Wars: Episode VIII, which Fisher had finished shooting at the time of her death, releases Dec. 15.