The INSIDER Summary:
- Carrie Fisher's death in December 2016 meant the "Star Wars" movies needed to be rewritten.
- Mark Hamill said that her character, Leia Organa, was supposed to be much more important in "Episode IX."
- Now she won't be in the movie at all.
- "I know they’re going to try and find a way to close her story in IX that gives her the respect she deserves," Hamill said.
With Carrie Fisher's death in December, the story around her most famous character needed a different ending.
Fans saw the return of Leia Organa in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and she'll still be in "The Last Jedi," coming to theaters this December. But her character was supposed to be even more prominent in the yet-untitled "Star Wars: Episode IX," which is planned for release in 2019, according to Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker in the series.
"I know they’re going to try and find a way to close her story in IX that gives her the respect she deserves," Hamill said, according to USA Today. "Because [Han Solo] was more prominent in VII, Luke’s a little more prominent in VIII, and certainly Leia was meant to be more prominent in IX."
According to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Fisher won't be in "Episode IX" at all.
Hamill's comments came at an event at New York Comic Con, where he talked about how the series changed after Fisher passed away.
"Worldwide, everyone feels that gap she left," Hamill said. "But we all have to hang in there. And if she’s out there somewhere, we have to give her the one-finger salute.
For his own character, Hamill said fans shouldn't expect "a retread of Obi-Wan Kenobi" elder-Jedi-statesman-type.
"We've seen the benevolent Jedi master training people," he said. "You haven't figured out what Luke's been doing for 30 years — how does the most optimistic character in all the movies get to that point? It won't be much longer now until you find out."
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" opens December 15.
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