Don't worry, Star Wars has absolutely no plans right now to digitally recreate the late Carrie Fisher in future sequels.
Earlier this week, BBC's Newsnight reported that Disney had already entered into talks with Fisher's family and estate to discuss the prospect of a CGI General Organa, much like Peter Cushing's 'appearance' in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as Grand Moff Tarkin.
However, a statement released on the official Star Wars website late on Friday (January 13) denied that any such plans were actually in the works.
"We don't normally respond to fan or press speculation, but there is a rumor circulating that we would like to address," the statement read. "We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher's performance as Princess or General Leia Organa.
"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."
After Carrie Fisher's tragic and unexpected death in December, talk turned to how her role as Princess Leia - and now, General Organa - will feature in upcoming Star Wars movies.
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Leia is said to have a more significant role in the franchise's next instalment, Episode 8, and it was hoped an even bigger role in Episode 9.
And although Carrie had finished shooting her scenes for Episode 8, production on its follow-up hasn't even started yet.
Related: Star Wars actor Angus MacInnes says CGI isn't ready to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher in Episode 9
The technology implemented in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to re-create the late Peter Cushing used a different actor for the performance before applying what is essentially "digital make-up" to re-create an uncanny likeness of the original character.
And while Carrie loved the bit of CGI magic used at the end of Rogue One to resurrect a young Princess Leia, an entire performance crafted by technology would obviously be a different story entirely.
Carrie's final return as leader of the Resistance in Rian Johnson's Star Wars: Episode VIII will delight audiences galaxy-wide on December 15, 2017.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
