When Carrie Fisher passed away, there was still a year until the release of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, which many assumed would be the last time that Leia Organa would appear on the big-screen. However, the cast of J.J. Abrams' upcoming STAR WARS: EPISODE IX will include Carrie Fisher after all as they'll be using previously unreleased footage originally shot for THE FORCE AWAKENS and THE LAST JEDI. "We desperately loved Carrie Fisher," Abrams said. "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, 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." It still remains to be seen how the film will handle Fisher's passing and the character of Leia, but Oscar Isaac recently said that it will be dealt with in a "really beautiful way."
Oscar Isaac, who plays Poe Dameron, spoke with The Daily Beast while promoting AT ETERNITY'S GATE and promised that STAR WARS: EPISODE IX will pay appropriate homage to Leia.
The story deals with that quite a bit. It’s a strange thing to be on the set and to be speaking of Leia and having Carrie not be around. There’s definitely some pain in that… It deals with the amazing character that Carrie created in a really beautiful way.
The actor then repeated something he mentioned last month, that the production feels looser than the last two films. "There’s a looseness and an energy to the way that we’re shooting this that feels very different," Isaac said. "It’s been really fun being back with J.J., with all of us working in a really close way. I just feel like there’s an element of almost senioritis, you know? Since everything just feels way looser and people aren’t taking it quite as seriously, but still just having a lot of fun. I think that that energy is gonna translate to a really great movie."
John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joona Suotamo, and Billie Lourd have returned to star in the final installment of the Skywalker Saga along with Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, and Carrie Fisher. There are a few STAR WARS-newbies among the cast, including Naomi Ackie (Doctor Who), Richard E. Grant (LOGAN), Keri Russell (The Americans), Dominic Monaghan (Lost), and Matt Smith (The Crown).
STAR WARS: EPISODE IX will hit theaters on December 20, 2019.