‘Star Wars’ icon Carrie Fisher’s last film to be released 7 years after her death

Carrie Fisher, the beloved actress known for her iconic role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise, will posthumously return to the big screen with her final film, Wonderwell, more than 7 years after her passing.

The bittersweet announcement was first reported by Deadline on Wednesday, June 14. Per the publication, Fisher had initially finished filming her scenes for the movie in 2016, mere weeks before her sudden death on December 2016, aged 60.

 

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According to the film’s director Vlad Marsavin, the project had taken years to complete due to Fisher’s untimely passing and the complications brought on by the global pandemic.

“Now is the perfect time to share [Fisher’s] magical on screen moments as Hazel,” Marsavin told Deadline. 

“Carrie was full of energy during filming and even celebrated her 60th birthday with us in Italy where we shot the movie.

“After a night shoot, which went on until 2 am, she invited the whole team to celebrate with her and the party ended up being shut down by the police because it was deemed a little too loud. Her passing was very emotional for the whole team.”

 

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Wonderwell will no doubt tug on the heartstrings of Fisher’s fans, with one of the film’s producers, Lee Rudnicki, previously saying that watching the actress’ final scene was “heartbreaking” and moved him to tears.

“In fact, if you were an actor, and you knew with 100 per cent certainly this was your last day on Earth, this is a scene you might design to say goodbye to your fans,” Rudnicki said.

“Carrie’s last line is about life itself — I won’t spoil it here, but it is genius, if not heartbreaking.”

Rudnicki added that watching her on the big screen had given him “goosebumps like [he] never experienced in [his] life.”

“The scene is golden, a magical final curtain call for a very special actress and woman who left this Earth far too soon,” he said.

This is the third time Fisher has made a posthumous appearance on the silver screen. In 2017, the actress starred in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi before making her last ever Star Wars appearance in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker via unseen footage from the previous two films.

Wonderwell‘s official trailer is yet to be released, it has been confirmed that the upcoming movie will have a limited theatrical run in the US from June 23, 2023, followed by a digital release, the date of which is yet to be announced.