Goldberg74

Bring back Boushh... problem solved.

B5Erik

I think that addressing Leia's passing in the opening crawl is the best way to go. Make her loss a central point that helps unify the Resistance in her memory.

It wouldn't just be the crawl, however, it could be the focal point for the story - honoring Leia's memory by defeating the First Order. Refusing to give up when things get the most difficult, just like Leia would. She would be mentioned several times in the movie if they do it right.

Josh-da-man

Leia could be sebetely injured in space ship crash between VIII and IX, and in order to keep her alive, she'll need to be put in a Darth Vader suit.

Mabuse

I hope she gets frozen in carbonite in VIII.

Seriously though, you guys are writing about solutions when you don't even know what the problem will be, or if there even is one.

TomOpus

I say, if possible, do some additional shots for VIII that shows her death. Maybe a ship she's in gets destroyed.

Start the crawl for IX with "Following the death of General Organa.."

TGM

again, no way they give Leia a violent death now. It would come off as way too insensitive.

TomOpus

1) They don't have to actually show her dying, like Solo.

2) The movie isn't coming out for another year. Not sure how "now" that would be.

joe_b

For anyone who has been following spoilers for VIII:

windom

Disney should hire a medical team to follow Mark Hamill around for the next two years. Same thing for Harrison Ford if they are actually making another Indiana Jones movie.

Jay G.

Dude, Harrison Ford nearly died during filming of The Force Awakens due to a set accident. There's really no way to entirely prevent this sort of situation from happening.

Also, Carrie Fisher had medical attention right away; the issue was more they were still up in the air:
http://www.slashfilm.com/carrie-fisher-heart-attack/

windom

According to the Daily Mail, Disney will receive a $50 million insurance payout due to Fisher not being able to finish the series. I imagine they must have taken out policies for everyone in the cast like that. I guess an accident could happen to anyone at any time. I imagine that Harrison Ford is quite expensive to insurance after his plane crash.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ars-films.html

Deadman31

Disney gets $50 million. Jesus, I hope they donate some of that to some kind of heart disease charity or something.

TheMovieman

I can't remember how much, but Universal got a big payout after Paul Walker died.

Ranger

Think Disney will sitll stick with Colin Trevorrow? Wondering if the cast wanted to work with Rian Johnson or J.J. Abrams again.

OldBoy

It should go to charity and Billie Lorde.

Obi-Wanma

They'll probably just use it to cover the costs of recreating her in CGI for Episode IX

Mabuse

Why? That's not how completion bonds and production insurance works. Disney buys insurance to cover themselves in the event of a loss, not to behave as some sort of charity.

GoldenJCJ

But why not? I'm sure the heir to at least a good piece of an Eddie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, and Carrie Fisher fortune will probably be pretty hard up for money.

Jay G.

I think the people reacting are feeling that it's in poor taste for a company to benefit financially from the death of someone. Of course, they're only looking at the insurance payout end of how her death affected Disney, and not how they've been economically harmed.

For example, lets say Carrie Fisher's 3 film contract was an upfront payment for all three films, and in the event of her death her estate wouldn't have to pay anything back. The insurance could be partially to cover the money they basically lost due to paying her for a 3rd film she wont be performing in now.

And now they'll also have to adjust their plan for Ep IX, which could mean paying for additional drafts of the screenplay, increase preproduction work, meaning more workhours to pay for, possibly having to hire another actor to fill her role or play a new character that takes Leia's place in the story, or even possibly CGI the role.

I'm sure Carrie Fisher herself probably had a life insurance policy, and it wasn't like she was broke. Billie Lorde will be fine, financially speaking.

dex14

Not to mention her father's net worth is approx. $35 mil.

Paul_SD

Debbie lost her fortune twice to husbands, later in life, who swindled her or gambled it away.
I wouldn't be surprised if her living standard was maintained more by Carrie than anything else later on.

Though she did not too long ago auction off all the props and costumes from old Hollywood she had collected/saved through the years. But it also must have taken a lot of coin to warehouse and properly store those for so long too.

In any case, I doubt she was actually 'rich' by Hollywood superstar standards.

Double_Oh_7

I'd guess they both had personal life insurance. Their family will be fine

TGM

I'd actually like to see them recast the part and have it go to either of her 1/2 sisters who are actresses, Joely or Tricia Leigh Fisher. Sure, they don't look much like Carrie, but by keeping it in the family I'm sure that fans would understand and embrace it, especially if Leia was going to play an important role in episode 9 and if it makes more sense to the overall story arc to keep General Leia alive.

stp115

Actually, a lot of companies insure their employees, entertainment industry or no. What I would love to know is how the same actuaries can recommend for insuring and at the same time set a reasonable price.

Paul_SD

Speaking solely for myself, recasting it like that would be distracting as hell and definitely take me out of the moment anytime the character was on screen.

IMO, while they've been backed into a corner by this, there are still opportunities to at the very least minimize the damage.

For one thing, VIII still isn't in the can yet. Everything that was shot for her, including alternate set ups for the same scene, can, with some ingenuity and possible CG assistance, be repurposed to extend her part.
This includes things like simply re-looping new dialogue (from other characters) over basic reaction shots of hers, or even using CG to alter the background of the scenes she's in now.

Additionally they might be able to use only half the screen time intended in VIII and follow that up with the rest in IX to at least carry her performance over for the finish of the trilogy. They would have to find a way somehow to send the character out appropriately- even if that amounts to little more than another "good luck on your mission, followed by a longer silent close up as she watches whomever depart.

If their only concern is making the release date, the options are restricted. If Disney would be willing to budget an extra six months post production time ( I know, that screws up the licenses...) I'd bet they'd be able to address this relatively seamlessly though not without changes to their initial plans.