Lucasfilm Has 'No Plans' for Digital Re-Creation of Carrie Fisher as Leia. 'We are still hurting from her loss'

16/01/2017 - Lucasfilm has issued a statement concerning the future of Star Wars following the death of star Carrie Fisher.

"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," reads a statement posted on Starwars.com Friday. "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"

The statement comes after a report stated Lucasfilm was in negotiations with Fisher's estate to include a digital re-creation of her likeness in future Star Wars films. Fans had expressed concern that Fisher's Leia might be digitally re-created using technology that was on display in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

The film, released two weeks before Fisher's death, re-created a younger version of the character, as she appeared in 1977' Star Wars: Episode IV —  A New Hope. It also digitally re-created the late Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin, who played a more significant role in the film. Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow were due to meet this week in Los Angeles to discuss the future of the franchise following Fisher's death. The actress had completed filming on Star Wars: Episode VIII, and sources said at least two key Leia scenes were planned for that film (Dec. 25) and Episode IX (2019). Insiders also said Leia was to have been a bigger part of Episode IX than VIII. Episode IX is to begin filming in early 2018, from a script by Trevorrow and Derek Connolly. Fisher suffered a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles on Dec. 23, and died at age 60 on Dec. 27. She and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, who died one day after later, were remembered in a joint memorial last week. Remembering Carrie Fisher

(Hollywoodreporter FILM)