MovieChat Forums > Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) Discussion > Three options for Leia, and why re-casti...

Three options for Leia, and why re-casting is the best one

posted 7 years ago by mram16
16 replies | jump to latest

(Note: This post assumes there weren't already plans to kill off the Leia character in episode VIII.)

Option 1: Write the character out of the story, either by killing her off, or by reducing her character and moving her off-screen.

The problem with this option, if reports are to be believed, is that they already planned a big story arc for Leia through Episode IX, and this would necessitate massive rewrites that would likely hamper the story, and result in a lesser overall experience for the trilogy.

Option 2: Make Leia into a CGI character.

The problem here is that the CGI characters in Rogue One have garnered mixed reactions from fans, with many feeling that the characters failed to successfully cross the "uncanny valley". Anyhow Lucasfilm appears to have nixed this idea, releasing a statement that they have no plans to replace Carrie Fisher with a CGI representation.

Option 3: Recast the character, allowing another actress to play Leia in Episode IX.

I know many fans do not want to see another actress play Leia, but this option would allow Lucasfilm to stick with the pre-planned story arc, protecting the integrity of the original plans for the trilogy while avoiding either uncanny CGI, a dubious off-screen death, or a situation where we only hear Leia's voice (either through cleverly edited audio samples or a sound-alike voice actor) off-screen, e.g. over a radio.

Not only do I think this option is the best of the three, but if certain reports are true there is actually a good possibility that Lucasfilm is seriously considering this as an option going forward. There was a report that Lucasfilm was talking to the family of Carrie Fisher concerning her role in a future film (presumably Episode IX). With Lucasfilm announcing that there are no plans for a CGI Leia, this could mean they were asking for permission to recast the roll in hopes of avoiding any hard feelings with the family if they (i.e. Lucasfilm) should do so.

[–] CookieNCreams 7 years ago

With Option 1 though, assuming that massive rewrites are involve, would this also mean the release date for Episode IX could get postpone from 2019?

So what else is new?

[–] droideka75 7 years ago

Recast Leia as an Old Lady. Then pull a Lucas on us and replace carrie fisher in the force awakens with the new Actress.

but... no doubtly Carrie's death will bring a lot of people to see this, morbid as people are, so they will only do it in episode IX and then replace her in the previous for the blu-ray 4k or whatever there is in 2019.

FF7 was not a 1.5 billion movie...

OR, and this is my opinion, even with them saying no:

Let some time pass, release a statement backed up by Carrie's estate and retract the statement of not being digital. Some BS about the technology being good as not to hurt her image and having the full support of her family bla bla. Leia in Episode IX digital.

I really think this is what's going to happen. In 3 years people will not be so outraged. This outrage is only happening because it's so close to her death and disney had meetings days after, only to seem greedy. In 3 Years? A statement is all it takes.

[–] roosterq 7 years ago

It may be hard, but Leia IS dead. There is ONLY one Leia, and she has passed on.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing."

[–] Conan-1982 7 years ago

I prefer option 1.

Regarding option 3, this is exactly why I don't like it :

"this option would allow Lucasfilm to stick with the pre-planned story arc"

It' only speculation, but the stuff I heard for Ep. 8 & 9 is so bad that I hope they change it (IF what I heard is true).

[–] George_Mason 7 years ago

There was ONE supposed leak claiming that Leia was planned to have a big role in episode 9. We don't even know if the whole story is remotely planned at this point. Actually, all sources pointed to the plot of SW7 having been written with no plan for the upcoming episodes.

Anyway, you're forgetting option 4 : splitting Leia's scenes from VIII into two, and cleverly using some of them to have her in part IX so that they don't have to kill her off or write her off completely. Of course it all depends on the kind of footage they have in stock.