Colin Trevorrow Talks About Making Star Wars: Episode IX Without Carrie Fisher
Even with Carrie Fisher’s sudden passing last December, the creators behind Star Wars know that the show must go on for the franchise. Rian Johnson and company finished filming all of Carrie’s scenes for Star Wars: The Last Jedi before her tragic death last year, but the producers and director of Episode IX are having to figure something out for her character in the final installment. As Episode IX’s director, Colin Trevorrow explains, it’s even more difficult when they know that she can’t be replaced.
In a recent chat with Cinemablend, Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow spoke briefly about Fisher’s recent death, as well as how Lucasfilm and Disney plan on handling her absence. The Jurassic World director admitted that they have limited options, but whatever is done, he says, will be handled with great respect.
She was a major character, that’s not a secret. She really was. And 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. I feel like our options are limited mostly by ourselves, in that there is only certain things that we are willing to do. But I can guarantee it will be handled with love and respect, and all of the soul that Carrie Fisher deserves.
There are few ways in which Disney and Lucasfilm can go about having the late actress in “Episode IX”. They could use stand-ins, CGI and some unused footage and splice film together (much like Paul Walker in FF7) to give Leia her final moments of screen time. Perhaps she can have an off-screen death that could be explained in the opening crawl or through dialogue from her brother. Another way to go would be for Disney to recast her, however, that option seems very unlikely since it’s difficult to imagine another actress playing her part. Also, Lucasfilm already confirmed they will not be doing a CG double of Leia as they did with Tarkin in Rogue One.
What Happens Next Is Anyone’s Guess.
Star Wars: Episode IX will premiere May 24, 2019.
May the force be with you….
Always…………
this was posted on 4chan and reddit… is apparently an angry ex lucasfilm employee
Luke meets Rey, he tells her how the force brought her to him. Her parents were scared of her abilities. She is told after a couple scenes that she was born out of necessity, that this balance will continue forever with the force, since the beginning all the way to his dad and now her. Luke trains her but tells her after Snoke is defeated, they will cease to fight and will not continue the Jedi order. They have a meditation scene together where she literally walks through a beam of light and she can control everything around her. She can change shapes and warp everything around her. Luke tells her she will be even more powerful than Yoda and she says who? (this got some chuckles). She also battles a creature that Luke claims is filled with evil intent and has been threatening the porgs, creatures more in tune with the force than even himself (think penguins on crack). She defeats this creature only to see it become a ghost of anakin. Basically, Luke has tried to push her emotionally in every direction on the island in order to wake her full potential quickly. He wants Snoke gone now. It’s made clear that Luke is not happy with what Snoke did to Ben and will do anything to make Rey become stronger quickly to destroy him. We get a flashback with Anakin at Luke’s school and everything is destroyed. Luke sees young Ben and says “I don’t want to kill you…but your life is in my hands now”. We learn later Luke knew someone else would come along to balance things out with Ben so he left to get answers as to why the Jedi always fail. He used the force to shut R2 down until this person was found. I’m cutting out a ton of details but basically you find out the force is literally connected to everything and even something like a droid can be aligned to it if it is willed. Rey confronts Luke about his feelings towards the Jedi, his abandonment of his friends and everything that’s happened and they don’t come to an agreement. He speaks with Yoda, she meditates.
Yoda admits she is right, that the Jedi of old were hopeful but arrogant and a the dark side of the force can’t be the only future (something like that).
Ren spends the majority of the film with Snoke. He’s more unstable and leaves to trace Vader’s life in hopes that he will meet his spirit. From the way Snoke acts, he doesn’t seem to care much. Also, force ghosts can be destroyed. They’re adding new powers into this film the same way J.J./Kasdan added new abilities in TFA. Rian did write the film he wanted but there was definitely things they wanted included in this film for future media.
After Finn wakes up, the entire ship they’re on is destroyed. Leia asked him to go find Snoke’s weakness, she’s been told someone has information on how to destroy him and they’ve arrived at the meeting point (a new planet). No one likes Leia on this planet. Rose leaves with him because it’s the last escape pod and her sister trusts Finn. Poe leaves after the ship is destroyed as well with Leia and some remaining resistance. The FO take prisoners. They spend most of the film on the run and meet up with Holdo who immediately butts heads with what they should do next. She wants to have an alliance with the FO, Leia thinks thats a bad idea and in the meantime, sends Poe to rescue the remaining resistance supporters. Finn goes to Snoke’s home planet and finds a crypt. Think dracula. Very expensive looking place and a tomb that’s opened. Basically, we learn Snoke has switched bodies and is actually well liked by a lot of races. No one alive has seen his original body. He’s with Rose and Zenn. All of this takes place after they escaped the “affluent planet” and found the kidnapped resistance members who after these past few years have decided to join the FO. Finn appeals to some of them but not all.
This is taking too long and I’m everywhere now in the story so I’ll cut to the chase with everyone. Luke eventually understands that training one person at a time might be the best way forward and thanks to Rey, that this will never end so they’ll have to make their own rules going forward (Anakin told her that repressing your emotions is what leads to their downfall). There will always be someone out there more powerful, good or evil. Ben finds out the location of the island because Rey was alone meditating and he sensed her. Ben doesn’t tell Snoke by the way so something is going on there. Ben fights Rey on the island, wins. Luke destroys Ben’s guards with one move (they come in to attack at once, next shot, they’re all on the ground). This got a great reaction but the move itself was definitely not a typical Jedi action. Ben asks Luke why he failed and that it was his parents fault for not being there for him. Luke asks Ben what he wants and asks him to help take down Snoke, that it can lead him to a new path. Ben agrees. In shock, Rey follows them (Luke has an A wing on the island!). Honestly, the Luke/Rey stuff is way more interesting than Finn’s story. This has almost turned into a weird review haha. The film ends with Luke standing before Snoke as the destroyer flies away. Rey and Kylo flew off after she attacked his ship.
THIS sounds too complicated.
Sounds plausible, but Kylo turning and Rey shapeshifting? Ugh…
None of that sounds plausible
It’s fake and btw, if we wanted to read that, we would be on 4chan and reddit. The mods should remove this.
I hope it was fake, otherwise the idiot who posted it just ruined it for me.
Exactly, which is why people shouldn’t post stuff like that and the mods should be on it. I will stop coming here if this is gonna happen
So fake I am LOLing all day long.
I doubt they would start 9 by saying in the crawl that, “Oh, by the way, Leia died since the last episode.” The most likely option is that Episode 8 has been modified to include her death. And death seems the most reasonable way of dealing with it, rather than saying General Organa simply gave up on the fight and decided to retire to a tropical planet for seniors and not worry about the First Order and her son anymore.
I believe they already said Episode 8 would remain unchanged. My bet is that they mention her death in the crawl and place a few respectful nods to her in the film. Possibly even include her voice as a force ghost.
Did they say Episode 8 would remain unchanged? Do you have a source for this (not trying to be combative – I’m truly curious)? I pretty much agree with Crixxxx. I’m hoping it’s not too late to make some last minute changes to The Last Jedi to somehow include Leia’s death. Of course, I would want it to be profound and make sense for the story – not something that seems forced or tacked on. I’ve stated here many times that I am strongly opposed to a recast. With that actress burned into so many people’s minds as that character for so long now, I just don’t see it ever working. I think it would be a HUGE distraction while watching Episode IX – at least I know it would be for me.
Bob Iger said so a couple months ago. http://www.eonline.com/news/838428/carrie-fisher-s-death-will-not-change-star-wars-the-last-jedi
I think the only option left is put it in the crawl and have some nice nods to her. Personally I would like to see her speak to Kylo as an unseen force ghost in a pivotal moment of the movie, but not sure if they would do that. I feel like it would be respectful to Carrie and a nice way to include her in the film.
As for TLJ, I was relieved that they are not changing it. Would rather see Rian’s original vision then have to tack on a major change in the middle of post production.
Well, damn. So here’s what we reliably know so far based on what Lucasfilm has stated to the media:
– Lucasfilm is not revising The Last Jedi due to Carrie’s death
– Leia was to have a big (or bigger) role in IX
– The have regrouped to re-evaluate Leia’s role in IX
– They will NOT be using CG to recreate Carrie Fisher as Leia
Based on this information, I can see only 3 options for IX:
1) Leia exits the story and is never seen in IX, with some explanation as to why provided in the film
2) Leia dies off screen – again the how/why explained in the movie
3) Leia’s character is recast and played by a different actor
Option 1 seems HIGHLY unlikely to me. Options 2 and 3 seem the most plausible. NONE are good (in my opinion). Flip a coin between Option 2 and 3. Both have their pitfalls, but if I had to reluctantly make a choice I would choose 2. Lucasfilm may go with 3, but I think that’s a HUGE risk on their part….
I feel the most respectful way to handle it is to not deprive her character the spotlight, which means to recast her.
From a certain point of view. To me, recast is more disrespectful, is like saying, “hey, here, anybody else can do what you did, and you’re not unique.” But to each their own, I’m just glad they are not recasting, but I’m sure they’re testing the waters with Han.
“anybody”
They never said that they weren’t going to recast her.
I meant for E8 and 9. I know they will make a young “Empowered Leia adventures” movie, so they will have to recast at some point.
As was I. They never said they weren’t going to recast the role for Episode 9.
I know, I was actually offering my comment to a person that said that recasting was the best way to honor Carrie.
I have no idea how they can handle the absence of CF. I’ve got nothing. I feels impossible and I will always be haunted by what could have been and what the original story was going to be. I feel like she was robbed of her movie, the one she was supposed to shine in. We barely got to see her at all in TFA. Han is gone and we will never get to see the big three together again.
The way TFA was written squandered a huge opportunity. Killing Han while Luke was away was a horrible idea. Mark was right, having Luke in the last scene with no dialog was a missed opportunity.
Over the years after ROTJ there was little more that I looked forward to in Star Wars than to see how Leia developed her skills with the force and as a Jedi. We see a bit of her sensing things through the force in TFA and I understand her maybe wanting to play the diplomat role instead of the soldier but my Leia doesn’t sit in control rooms looking at holograms, my Leia gets shit done, will stomp your slimy ass if needed and never misses her shot. She was a GD warrior and they better not have her go out off screen having never get her hands dirty sitting on some ship. If she doesn’t at least force choke some Nazi FO punk and take out a few troopers with her blaster before they send her off Disney can eat the big one. She is a warrior and was powerful in the force and that’s how she should go out, KICKING SOMEONE’S ASS.
I agree, not getting the big three back together was a missed opportunity. They could have done it in 7, but unfortunately it didn’t happen that way. I feel 8 will be the best of the new trilogy, having luke and leia in a scene or two hopefully. They are going to have to get creative in dealing with leia in 9. I think the best way would be to have the character die off screen or something. Anything else wouldn’t feel right be it CG or recasting.
Sigh… Well we know she was supposed to have an expanded role in EP9 so this implies that she survives EP8 so an off-screen death is likely. I dunno how this can’t be a disaster. I’m usually pretty positive about this stuff and have kept largely quiet about some of the major problems with EP7, I loved the new characters and that carried me through but Disney has dropped the ball a bit on this trilogy. I just close my eyes and say “Daisey Ridley’s Dimples” 10 times and everything is OK.
There was such amazing potential for her character that was apparently lost on JJ Abrams and now I fear it’s too late. I just hope we see more of her using the force in EP8, it was supposed to be her destiny. Her dying off-screen instead of going down swinging… no thanks.
Agreed!
I don’t see what the big deal is with a CGI Leia in Episode IX. I mean, the way they smushed her face back in Episode VII hardly made her look like a real human being.
Yes, unfortunately Carrie didn’t age well – and I think we all know why that is. But I still enjoyed seeing her again in TFA, even if she did look (and sound) drastically different than she did in the OT. Nobody stays young and beautiful forever!
It also made sense for the character, a princess-turned-war vet wouldn’t look young and pretty for very long.
and the princess has seen some serious crap in her life and been through a lot
Man this sucks! But I’m glad they aren’t recasting her or CGI her.
We don’t know they’re not recasting. No announcement other than no CGI has been made.
Its beyond obvious that they would never even consider recasting.
How is it beyond obvious?
That’s my hope as well – and I (mistakenly) had thought they made that announcement. But I don’t think we know that for sure just yet.
CGI her. The technology is amazing, it looked great in Rogue One, it would deny death the satisfaction, and she would get her starring role in IX regardless.
The first time I saw Rogue One I hated both CGI characters. The second time, even though I sat much closer to the screen, I didn’t mind Tarkin so much. But Leia still looked very odd to me. I just don’t think the technology is ready for a very recognizable human character with a major role.
If they can do what they did for Paul Walker that would be perfect. You couldn’t even tell it wasn’t Walker sometimes.
Leia looked horrible in Rogue One
The fact the Disney was so fast to say they weren’t going to CGI Leia means they decided on another plan immediately. Personally I think that means they rewrote Ep8 or 9 and decided they have enough video already to end Leia appropriately.
The problem is that it’s the third film in a trilogy. It’s not like Dumbledore; when Richard Harris died they still had six movies to make. If Fisher had died before Episode VII, recasting would have been unfortunate, but certainly possible. I could have believed Geena Davis as Leia. She was born the same year as Carrie Fisher.
Diane Lane. She’s a few years younger, but I would’ve bought her in the role.
Not at all. No disrespect to Fisher but Lane’s aged much better than she did. That’s like getting Val Kilmer to take as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible. Not even remotely similar facial/body types.
But we’re talking about who would have worked had Carrie Fisher died before VII. There would have been no need for the actress to look like Carrie Fisher looked in 2015-16, she just needs to be believable as an older Leia.
Really, Geena Davis was born the same year as Carrie Fisher? I thought Carrie was older.
Geena Davis is kind of an “Amazon” woman though. I believe she’s about 6 feet tall, and Carrie was only like 5’2″ or something.
Carrie stood on a soapbox in a ton of scenes, though. Geena would just be “minus the soapbox”.
Yes, if height mattered that much in film, Tom Cruise (5′ 7″) would never have become a leading man.
I think Kate Mulgrew could easily pass as General Leia and actually has about the same voice these days. And of course is no stranger to Sci-fi.
I always thought Kate Mulgrew looked and acted more like Katharine Hepburn. She almost seemed to “imitate” Hepburn in a lot of her performances much the same way Christian Slater always seemed to copy Jack Nicholson.
For any of you Millennials that don’t know who Katharine Hepburn is, you can Google her. And Kate Mulgrew if necessary…
That’s very true! I’ve always thought that Kate Mulgrew could play Katherine Hepburn. I feel like maybe she did on Broadway or something… Or maybe played a character that Katherine Hepburn played?
Yes! I’m against the recast idea, but she would be the best choice if they do it. Same gravelly voice, bunnable hair, similar age and stature.
But let’s not get a movie full of her. Just a death scene or the like. 2 hours of emotional Skywalker family talk with any recast Leia opposite Mark Hamilton just would not work for me.
but they told any of the original Three if they didn’t want to come back they would not recast
Well, I remember hearing that Lucas said that when he pitched the idea of a Sequel Trilogy to them. I believe that was before he sold Lucasfilm off to Disney. Who knows if Disney has the same philosophy…
I’m not talking about her not wanting to come back, I’m saying what if she had died.
From all the talk, I just don’t see them recasting a new actress in the role set in the timeline after TLJ, after 40 years of people being used to Carrie.
I fear that recasting Carrie would feel like when they recast The Oracle in the third Matrix film. With Carrie’s history and “legend” status in Star Wars canon, it would be even more jarring. Hopefully they have enough unused shots where they could piece together a quick scene or two before Leia’s sad demise. (It’s very hard to imagine this happening.)
It won’t be a book that explains her death, it has to be on film. I thought the rumors is that Leia would be injured in TLJ and then come back for the 3rd act. Maybe they changed it where she dies instead? I honestly don’t know what the right thing is. It’s a lose – lose situation.
“I thought the rumors is that Leia would be injured in TLJ and then come back for the 3rd act. Maybe they changed it where she dies instead?”
Right now, I think that’s the most likely scenario.
Wanted to see her twist the saber in Snoke her self… Reaches in vest, pulls out elegant purple saber, ownes Snoke like Obi-Wan and Maul in the desert… Three moves, no jumping around. Uses both the light and dark at once. Dies later in an act of selflessness to save our new hero Rey. Die off-screen? No way man, no way. Ugh, this sucks.
I’m usually a pretty good problem solver… I got nothing man, nothing. I just can’t figure this one out or even postulate about it. CG, Recast, Die-Off Screen ugh.
And now, my silly option: entering the dark side to save her son. Wearing a mask, dying with a mask. We only see her face again in her death.
Before a die off-screen they have good options, like Oliver Reed’s death in Gladiator.
Let’s face it — Episode 9 will NOT be the “REAL” Episode 9 without Leia. She needs to be CGI’d, recast, or use other footage of her and dub a “voice-a-like.” If she is not in 9, we are not getting REAL Ep 9.
Kind of my thoughts as well. Ep 9 is supposed to be “Leia’s film”, as TFA was Han’s and TLJ is Luke’s. Whatever rewrite they do will forever leave us wondering….what if? I have a feeling the big event in 9 was supposed to be Leia’s reunion with her son….I doubt that was ever filmed for TLJ.
If they use a voice actress then I hope they use an age appropriate one considering how different she sounds since the OT. That and I was never happy with the one who voiced her in Rebels.
Stories change all the time for a variety of reasons, some of which are real world. It’s still episode 9, don’t try to pull some crap like this.
unused shots and Tarkin-match cgi – the best cgi available (not the Rogue1 Leia cgi please), but definitely not recast. Ahh and keep it short will keep it as natural as possible. Tarkin would be better with much less scenes….they are simply still not good enough…
I just watched Rogue One again for the easter eggs bit, and I find Tarkin to be pretty good on the small screen; I do agree that in the theater it was flawed….
Rogue One Tarkin happened to be the best CGI available…
Carrie is on record as saying that she was ‘the custodian of Leia’. Makes me think she kind of knew the day would come where someone else would play the part. She’s obviously irreplaceable but it makes me think a recast is likely. Might actually honor her memory more if Leia’s role in IX is kept as originally intended. Even with a different actor playing the part.
Agreed 100%
She also said I am Leia and she is me.
Yeh that’s true. Makes you wonder if those involved will try to consider what Carrie would have wanted? I mean, to those involved in the production of these films she was a friend and a colleague, so they possibly would have some inkling of how she would have felt about the situation? Speaking cynically, it’s also hard to imagine Disney letting the future of characters as iconic (and profitable) as Leia, Luke, Han and Vader be dictated by the natural lives of the actors who played them? The fact that there’s a Han Solo film coming out suggests perhaps they see these characters more along the lines of James Bond/Batman/Spider-Man, where the character transcends the actor who plays them (despite obvious differences to the Star Wars universe). I guess time will tell…
We may imagine an alternative situation where Carrie Fisher is not dead, but somehow incapacitated – like if she had a major stroke that left her paralyzed and with slurred speech, hence unable to ever portray Leia again. Would she ever have given her blessing to another actress taking over the character?
Maybe? Probably? Impossible to say I guess…
Can Stevie Nicks act?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9301540341d1c8c564843e8c78219f18f8e36fa95f9c1053f4bfef30974edcea.jpg
So funny you say that, I recently bought a reissue of a Stevie Nicks LP and was bowled over by the resemblance!
Wow
I agree. I think it would be a disservice to both Carrie and Leia to kill off Leia unceremoniously (She was intedned to be in episode 9 so they wont have filmed an emotional death scene for Leia, like Hans ). I feel a recast is the most honourable way to continue with the character.
It is going to be a little strange to see someone else playing the role of Leia, but I believe that Carrie Fisher would have wanted the character’s arc to continue and have the ending that was intended. This new trilogy is a “passing on the torch” to the next generation so Leia’s arc/story needs to continue and end respectively.
In my heart I don’t want to see another actress playing a character that Carrie Fisher has developed and been “the custodian of” for 40 years, but in respect for the character of Leia and the story of Star Wars I wouldn’t mind a recast.
WE MISS AND LOVE YOU CARRIE!
Agreed 🙂
If TLJ really is the Empire knockoff it’s looking to be then I doubt Luke will die like most are expecting or at least not till the next one considering nobody major died in V. With Han and Fisher dead, I bet his part will be greatly expanded in IX. It’s possible they might make that his film and cut back on some of his scenes in this one as well.
It’s not going to be an Empire knockoff.
Please post the the Ep. 8 script you apparently have read so we can all get a look at it!
Easy, her ship flies away and WHAM! destroyed by Kylo.
Have video spliced together, keep it short and maybe have her killed by snoke as the catalyst for ben to become good again. They can have a stand in to do all the falling etc with back to the audience.
Magic of film can make it look like her with out overuse of CGI
I am not worried….we didn’t have Leia in TPM or AOTC and those films were great !! So why are we so worried? If they were to recast, I would clap for who ever actress plays the part in their first scene….that would be a nice tribute to Carrie Fisher and show appreciation for the character of Leia. ( Sarcasm in my first sentence for those who have trouble “seeing” sarcasm. LOL. )
honestly, I think the only way to go about it would be for her to have a limited screen time in IX, made of combination of unused takes from two previous films and light cgi so they hold together and dont look too much b-roll. i really doubt they would kill Leia off, its very weird to portray someones death on screen after they actually passed. its still one of those Hollywood taboos, something you just don’t do. my best bet is they gonna full Paul Walker on this one; the only advantage F7 had was that Paul shot something like 60% of the film before passing. still, they’ve got a full TLJ of unreleased material and if they manage to exploit that efficiently, there could be a healthy 10-15 mins of screen time for Leia played by Carrie, that no one has seen before to be used in IX
This picture of Leia makes me think of “I Dream of Genie”
She will die in the opening crawl, mark my words.
I’m glad that Trevorrow is being very honest about the situation that has happened. Because, this isn’t an issue that LucasFilm could avoid. Especially, given how the Story group has planned out the course of this entire ST. My hope is that Trevorrow and the story group can find a way to adjust to plans in such a way that can not only give Carrie Fisher the respect that she deserves, but also just continue the story.
Because, as my old Tae Kwan Do teacher taught me, it is easy to plan, but harder to adapt and rise to the occassion when plans go astray and that those who can are truly strong individuals. And I trust Trevorrow and LucasFilm on that note. As for how they could include Leia, it is hard to say until we all see TLJ. But overall, I wish Trevorrow the best of luck.
While I do not think he is as good as Rian Johnson, I do find he is criminally being underestimated. Yeah, Jurassic World’s problems weren’t his fault, but the studio executives. It is why he didn’t come back.