Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

The late Carrie Fisher will appear in 'Star Wars: Episode 9', says brother Todd Fisher

The late Carrie Fisher will make an appearance from beyond the grave in the final Star Wars movie, her brother Todd Fisher tells Confidential.

After months of speculation about Carrie's future in the sci-fi saga, Todd has revealed that Disney bosses want to bring Princess Leia back for Episode IX. And he said he and Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd, have granted the studio rights to use recent footage for the finale. It is understood that CGI will not be used to recreate Leia.

“Both of us were like, ‘Yes, how do you take her out of it?’ And the answer is you don't,” said Fisher, as he attended the opening night gala of the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles, celebrating “In the Heat of the Night.”

“She’s as much a part of it as anything and I think her presence now is even more powerful than it was, like Obi Wan — when the saber cuts him down he becomes more powerful. I feel like that's what's happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue.”

To what extent Leia will figure in to the storyline is not clear. “I’m not the only part in that equation, but I think the people deserve to have her,” said Fisher. “She's owned by them.”

And he said he had total faith in the filmmakers to “do great things.”

“You don't mess with this legacy,” he said. “It would be like rewriting the Bible. To me, Star Wars is the holy grail of storytelling and lore and you can't mess with it.”

Fisher said he was “touched” and “proud” at the outcry of love that followed the deaths of his sister and their mother Debbie Reynolds, who died just days apart in December. And the actor and director said one of his next projects may be a collaboration of sorts with his late sister.

“Carrie and I grew up with a magical life, we really did, and there are a lot of stories to tell. Carrie and I actually wrote some things together. It's very likely that I'll get to those now sooner than I would have normally, because we didn't think the stories were going to end. Now that they’ve ended, the stories probably should be told. So there’s some magic left in us and there are a lot of Carrie’s words left unspoken that will be spoken.”