Carrie Fisher's unexpected death from heart problems after the filming of Star Wars: The Last Jedi raised questions about how her character would be treated in the next film, but we now have some answers.
Carrie Fisher at the opening of the European Premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". Photo: AFP
Filmmakers have announced they will use unreleased footage from Episode VII: The Force Awakens to complete the story in the new film.
"We desperately loved Carrie Fisher," Episode IX director JJ Abrams said in a statement.
"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 honour Carrie's legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII."
Abrams, who directed The Force Awakens but not 2017's The Last Jedi, is tasked with concluding the new trilogy of Star Wars films.
Princess Leia's character remains alive at the end of The Last Jedi so Abrams will need to either build a satisfying story around her using the scraps of footage they had left over or use that footage to film the death of her character in Episode IX.
It's somewhat of a problem because Episode IX had originally planned to focus heavily on Princess Leia.
Saga veteran Han Solo was prominent in The Force Awakens, and Luke Skywalker took up the spotlight in The Last Jedi, leaving Princess Leia as the last of the original trio of heroes for Episode IX.
Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in The Force Awakens Photo: starwars.com
After Fisher's death, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told Vanity Fair that the actress had been excited for the role.
"She was having a blast," Kennedy said.
"The minute she finished, she grabbed me and said, 'I'd better be at the forefront of IX'. Because Harrison was front and centre on VII, and Mark is front and centre on VIII.
"She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been."
Other returning cast members for Episode IX were also announced, including Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker and Billy Dee Williams reprising his role as Lando Calrissian for the first time since 1983's Return of the Jedi.
New members joining the cast for the new film include Richard E Grant, Naomi Ackie and Keri Russell.
Composer John Williams, who has scored every Star Wars episode, will return for IX.
The film is scheduled for release in December 2019.