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Los Angeles - Lucasfilm, the company behind Star Wars, says there are no plans to digitally recreate the late Carrie Fisher to play Princess Leia in future episodes of the movie saga.
The Disney-owned Lucasfilm made the rare foray into the world of Star Wars speculation Friday night by issuing a statement denying rumors there were plans to digitize Fisher, who died on 27 December.
Fisher, who reprised her role as Leia in 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, had finished shooting Star Wars: Episode VIII, due out next December, when she died.
But she had also been slated to appear in Episode IX, scheduled for release in 2019. That film is still being scripted, and the writers are deciding how to deal with Fisher's death.
Adding to the speculation was the brief appearance of a digitised 1977-era Fisher in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which was released last month.
That film also had a much larger role for a digitised version of the late Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin.
The renderings of Fisher and Cushing, who died in 1994, were embraced by many fans but hated by just as many, who thought the characters looked cartoonish, distracting, or even spooky.
John Knoll, the effects guru who came up with the idea of the revitalised characters, told Yahoo Movies on Friday that Fisher "loved" her appearance in Rogue One, which consists of one short-but-significant shot, and a single word of dialogue.
"She was very much in favour of it," Knoll said.
But Lucasfilm insists Episode VIII will be Fisher's last.
"Carrie Fisher was, is, and always will be a part of the Lucasfilm family," the company's statement said. "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 honour everything she gave to "Star Wars.'"
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