The tragic passing of Carrie Fisher hit everyone pretty hard last week. Not only was she a major figure of the Star Wars universe, she was also a writer and someone who was able to overcome the darkest parts of her life to become an inspiration. It’s insensitive to talk about what will happen to her Princess Leia character (she will always be royalty) now that she is gone, but here we are.

There is a new report that says she was to have a larger role in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VIII and Episode IX. Rian Johnson (director of Episode VIII) and Colin Trevorrow (director of Episode IX) are set to discuss how Leia will fit into the future of the franchise with Lucasfilm in the coming weeks. Check out the full report below.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fisher was to have to key scenes in Episode VIII and Episode IX. One was to be a reunion with her brother Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and the other was to be a confrontation with her son, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). It is not exactly clear how these scenes would have fit into each of the film’s narrative, but based on the report, she was to have her biggest role in Episode IX. However, no one knows where Trevorrow and writer Derek Connolly are at with their script. There’s no word on which one of the two key scenes Fisher filmed before her death, but either way, it will change the dynamics of the film. We will either lose Leia seeing her son for the first time since he killed his father Han Solo (Harrison Ford) or lose that reunion between herself and her brother.

Trevorrow will travel to LA to talk to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy to discuss possible options to address the character’s absence on January 10.

Of course, one can’t forget that the situation is similar to what happened to Universal when Paul Walker tragically died before Furious 7 could complete principal photography. The film had to push up its release date. Fisher wrapped Episode VIII before her passing. But now there is the issue of how her key role in Episode IX will be addressed.

Ideas from writing out the character to having her scenes reshot are possible options. None of which is really new considering how The Force Wakens director J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan did a complete rewrite of Michael Arndt’s script. Johnson also made some adjustments to Episode VIII‘s script to reflect Abrams and Kasdan’s changes. Johnson had asked Abrams about a couple of things about the story, and it looks like Trevorrow will have to do the same. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story went through a similar script overhaul but surprised us all with CGI characters of General Tarkin (Peter Cushing) and a much younger Princess Leia. Now that option is also available to Trevorrow, however, it is not without its controversy. Many believe that the technique to resurrect these characters is wrong.

It’s going to be a difficult road to navigate for everybody, and hopefully, Trevorrow and Lucasfilm figure out the right way to address the situation and give Leia the kind of departure that Star Wars fans will approve of.

Episode VIII will hit theaters on December 15, 2017, while Episode IX is scheduled for a May 23, 2019 release.

[Source: THR]