Star Wars: Unseen footage of Carrie Fisher to feature in next film with Richard E Grant joining cast

Unseen footage of late actress Carrie Fisher will feature in next Star Wars film
REUTERS
Ella Wills28 July 2018
The Weekender

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The cast of the next Star Wars film has been revealed, with the late actress Carrie Fisher set to appear.

Lucasfilm said unreleased footage of the actress from Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be used in Episode IX to draw her character's story to an end.

The star, who played Princess Leia in the saga, died suddenly in 2016.

In an announcement on Friday, Lucasfilm said Billy Dee Williams will return to the franchiase as Lando Calrissian, and Richard E Grant will join the cast.

Filming is scheduled to begin on Wednesday at London's Pinewood Studios.

Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, will also appear in the film, which is scheduled to be released in December 2019.

Fisher died in December 2016 after she finished work on the middle installment in the trilogy, "The Last Jedi."

Star Wars - In pictures

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Director Rian Johnson opted not alter her storyline, leaving Leia's fate to be handled by JJ Abrams.

"We desperately loved Carrie Fisher," Abrams said in a statement. "Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us."

He said recasting Fisher or recreating her using computer graphics, as was done in a spinoff film "Rogue One," was not an option.

"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."

Friday's announcement also confirmed that returning to the film are Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, who all play heroes.

Adam Driver and Domhnall Gleeson, who play villains in the latest films, are also returning.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.

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