Carrie Fisher’s Brother Todd Fisher Reacts To ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ News: ‘This Is Going To Be Very Magical’

On Friday, it was announced that the next chapter in the “Star Wars” saga will feature the posthumous return of Carrie Fisher, with unused footage of Fisher filmed during “The Force Awakens” to be resurrected in order to bring Princess Leia into the storyline.

ET Canada spoke with Todd Fisher, brother of the late actress/writer, about the announcement.

While there was initially talk of bringing Leia into the film via CGI, Fisher feels that using this footage is a much better alternative.

“They have arranged it in the script and what was shot to bring her into the story in a way as if they filmed it yesterday,” says Fisher. “Isn’t that magical, that the things that she shot a few years ago are frozen in time, so to speak, and been reborn into the final ‘Star Wars’ where she is the character that needed to continue?”

Using this footage to include Leia in the film, he explains, appeals to him not just as a brother, but also as a “Star Wars” fan.

“It is not just me as a brother,” says Fisher. “I have a connection to this thing that is different but I am also a fan of the story line, but it is my sister. My sister and Princess Leia are the same thing. And the idea of that story stopping and her not carrying forward is very disturbing to me. I kept saying to people, ‘No, no, this needs to continue.’ I know I was even a little annoying to Disney. I kept saying from the brother’s perspective we would want to see Carrie continue, of course. And the fans, I think, we could even use the word demand this to carry on. It is awesome that it worked out this way and thanks to [‘Episode IX’ director] J.J. Abrams. This is going to be very magical and important to us all.”

As Fisher tells us, the footage that will be utilized in the upcoming film was initially filmed for 2015’s “The Force Awakens”, but wasn’t used in the final cut of the film.

“As you know, when you make a movie there are lot of things that end up, as they say, on the cutting room floor. Outtakes — a lot of things that don’t make it into the movie sometimes. In this case, it was difficult for people to want to go back to look at every frame of footage to see what was usable or what could be used in this fashion and then to create a way to weave it into the script… it is not an easy task,” says Fisher.

Fisher tells ET Canada that his sister’s daughter, actress Billie Lourd, “is really sensitive to the whole thing… obviously we want to protect Carrie… and we are sensitive to how things are done and why they are done. This is one that you have got to embrace with a big hug.”

As to how that footage will figure into the story of the new film, Fisher says, “There are things we know but can’t say,” adding, “My sister was in trouble every other day because she would know things and she just couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. We aren’t allowed to talk much other than that. I can stay in the area we are in but can’t give to many specifics. I was given some information about the things that were there but can’t address it… If you look at all the scenes that were in ‘The Force Awakens’ you can imagine the things that were made available.”

Adds Fisher: “One of my favourite things Carrie has ever done was the last movie… Some of her best acting, and I have known her since she didn’t know anything about acting. It is remarkable. She is killing it.”

You can see more of our interview with Todd Fisher next month on ET Canada.