We’re only months away from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and already, it’s beginning to feel like a film that will be unbearably sad for all the wrong reasons. The loss of Carrie Fisher will be made fresh by her appearance in the upcoming film, and seeing her alongside Mark Hamill for the last time — one assumes, anyways — will be a touching moment for any fans of the Star Wars franchise. No less touching will be the opportunity for Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd to share the screen with her one last time. All in all, The Last Jedi will be the ultimate Star Wars family reunion, biological and otherwise.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s opening in theaters is guaranteed to be one of the most exciting events of the year, and also guaranteed to be overcast by the untimely death of Carrie Fisher. All of her work on the film was completed before she passed away, which may even make watching her onscreen even more difficult. We’ve heard that The Last Jedi greatly expands her role in the franchise, and in a way it gives the actress an appropriate send-off.
The biggest question going into Star Wars: The Last Jedi is how the movie will deal with Carrie Fisher’s passing. She had finished all of her scenes for the movie before her death last winter, but the series would be remiss if she wasn’t given a proper sendoff. We still don’t know if another actress will play General Leia in Episode IX, or if she’ll be somewhat written out of it, but John Boyega says she’s given her due in The Last Jedi.
While Disney might be holding back some of its best stuff for Comic-Con this year, that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few Star Wars: The Last Jedi teasers that they could share at this past weekend’s D23. Just yesterday, we were treated to a new featurette that went behind the scenes of the production; right on the heels of that comes these new character posters, a beautiful new mix of familiar faces and bright colors. It’s not exactly the brand new trailer that some were hoping for, but it should keep us occupied until the next opportunity presents itself.