Sibling happy about Fisher’s future return to ‘Star Wars’

After the news last week that Carrie Fisher would appear in the next “Star Wars” film, the actress’s brother, Todd Fisher, released a statement applauding the announcement.

“I couldn’t be more personally thrilled and happy,” the statement said, “that our Carrie will reprise her role as Princess Leia in the new and final ‘Star Wars Episode IX,’ using previously unreleased footage of her shot for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.’

“As we, her family — as well as her extended family of fans around the world — so believe, Carrie’s ‘Princess Leia’ is forever entrenched in the franchise and her indelible presence is fundamental to the film.”

The statement went on to say that director J.J. Abrams “understood Carrie’s iconic role, and he has masterfully re-crafted this final entry to include this unused and very last footage of Carrie ever taken, without resorting to CGI or animatronics.”

It added that the Fisher family and Carrie Fisher’s fans “will look forward with great anticipation for this one! Her force will forever be with us!”

In April 2017, Todd Fisher had told various media outlets that his sister would be featured in the upcoming film, but Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy quickly shot down that notion, saying that Todd Fisher was “confused.”

“Sadly, Carrie will not be in ‘Nine,’” Kennedy told ABC News at the time. “But we’ll see a lot of her in ‘Eight,’ which is great.”

Kennedy said that Todd Fisher “was probably confused because we finished everything in ‘Eight,’ and Carrie is absolutely phenomenal in the movie.”

But news of Fisher’s role in “Episode IX” was confirmed Friday in a statement from Lucasfilm.

Apparently, any concerns about how to include Carrie Fisher in the final movie have been resolved.

“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” Abrams said in the statement. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us.

“We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in ‘Episode IX’ by using unseen footage we shot together in ‘Episode VII.’”

Franchise veteran Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker in the films, took to Twitter during the weekend to share his thoughts on the news.

“It’s bittersweet facing my final chapter without her,” he tweeted. “She is simply irreplaceable. I’m finding solace in the fact that she won’t BE replaced & would love the worldwide outpouring of affection from those who loved her when they heard the news. #CarrieOnForever.”

Fisher died at age 60 on Dec. 27, 2016.

“Star Wars: Episode IX” is set to reach theaters on Dec. 20, 2019.