In a heartfelt tweet posted Sunday morning, Mark Hamill opened up about filming his “final chapter” in the “Star Wars” saga without Carrie Fisher by his side as Luke Skywalker’s sister, Leia Organa.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Hamill would return to play the famed Jedi one last time in “Star Wars: Episode IX,” and would be joined by fellow original trilogy castmate Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian. Fisher, who passed away in December 2016, will appear in the film as Leia through unused footage from the 2015 film “The Force Awakens.”
It’s bittersweet facing my final chapter without her-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 pic.twitter.com/7ueMqBxQwa
– Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) July 29, 2018
“It’s bittersweet facing my final chapter without her. She is simply irreplaceable,” Hamill said in a tweet that included pictures of him on the set with the late actress. “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.”
Production on “Episode IX” begins this coming week, with a release set for December 2019. “Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams will return to helm the final installment of the new trilogy from a script he co-wrote with Chris Terrio. The cast of the previous two films — led by Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega — will return, with Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant and Keri Russell joining the cast. “Episode IX” will also be the last “Star Wars” film scored by John Williams.
