Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-ix-cast-announced
So, the big news here is Carrie Fisher will appear in Episode IX after all from old footage, apparently shot during Episode VII (man, TFA and TLJ seem even more like two disparate productions). Hamill is back too for that matter, which I wasn't 100% sure about as ludicrous as I know that sounds (seemed like they might want to be rid of him =).
Anyway, a bunch of re-edited, re-purposed footage of Carrie Fisher sounds about as fraught as CGI really. It could be very awkward or lacking in the desired effect, "We've got this great footage of Carrie petting her dog on set but we'll CGI a throne behind her and make the dog Salacious Crumb (they reconnected as Jabba's Palace survivors #theCircleIsComplete)!" Like, are they going to try and have a climatic moment with her here, or just an independently context appropriate scene of her Generaling that doesn't necessarily address her departure? Sounds odd in any case. I was hoping they'd just do the sensibly classy thing and open the movie with her funeral (maybe honor Han and Luke while they're at it), but those are not the times we live in. It's hilarious to me that we're having this conversation at all and how you CGI somebody or not is the way to show respect to the recently deceased. We won't cross THAT line, but we will slap together a bunch of stock footage into a "performance" and probably CGI the Hell of it anyway.
And since Luke Skywalker himself is officially "back" now, I'm wondering if J.J. Abrams will try retroactively redeem or improve his arc and its conclusion since he didn't really get a word on that by his own making, or, if he does even try, how dramatically:
Very Dramatic - Luke, or perhaps Luuke, is back as a clone for a total do-over; fuck Ep. VIII, Rian Johnson, and this trilogy as a narrative!
Moderately Dramatic - He's a fully present force ghost that's so heavily involved you'll hardly notice he's technically not there!
Less Dramatic - He's a supporting ghost that makes multiple appearances critical to the characters and/or plot.
Least Dramatic - A token sendoff ghost scene that tells the fanboys, "It's ok, I'm much happier as a ghost."
Worst Dramatic - He appears with Yoda and Leia at the end and Rey smiles at them in a finale scene lifted directly from RotJ. Oh fuck, that's happening. That's where they'll use the Carrie Fisher footage! Better yet, have every force ghost there, including both Anakins, like some massive fighting game roster, "We got every ghost back in this one!"
Kidding aside, I think just putting a bow or a cap on it at all will retroactively improve and wash out the unpleasant aftertaste of TLJ because it won't be the last word anymore, but will reinforce the power of those moments so they can be appreciated in a larger context. I'm not saying it'll be great, but it will no longer feel like such an instant death blow to the ole' childhood, just a mortal wound we'll get some necessary catharsis on here.
So, the big news here is Carrie Fisher will appear in Episode IX after all from old footage, apparently shot during Episode VII (man, TFA and TLJ seem even more like two disparate productions). Hamill is back too for that matter, which I wasn't 100% sure about as ludicrous as I know that sounds (seemed like they might want to be rid of him =).
Anyway, a bunch of re-edited, re-purposed footage of Carrie Fisher sounds about as fraught as CGI really. It could be very awkward or lacking in the desired effect, "We've got this great footage of Carrie petting her dog on set but we'll CGI a throne behind her and make the dog Salacious Crumb (they reconnected as Jabba's Palace survivors #theCircleIsComplete)!" Like, are they going to try and have a climatic moment with her here, or just an independently context appropriate scene of her Generaling that doesn't necessarily address her departure? Sounds odd in any case. I was hoping they'd just do the sensibly classy thing and open the movie with her funeral (maybe honor Han and Luke while they're at it), but those are not the times we live in. It's hilarious to me that we're having this conversation at all and how you CGI somebody or not is the way to show respect to the recently deceased. We won't cross THAT line, but we will slap together a bunch of stock footage into a "performance" and probably CGI the Hell of it anyway.

And since Luke Skywalker himself is officially "back" now, I'm wondering if J.J. Abrams will try retroactively redeem or improve his arc and its conclusion since he didn't really get a word on that by his own making, or, if he does even try, how dramatically:
Very Dramatic - Luke, or perhaps Luuke, is back as a clone for a total do-over; fuck Ep. VIII, Rian Johnson, and this trilogy as a narrative!
Moderately Dramatic - He's a fully present force ghost that's so heavily involved you'll hardly notice he's technically not there!
Less Dramatic - He's a supporting ghost that makes multiple appearances critical to the characters and/or plot.
Least Dramatic - A token sendoff ghost scene that tells the fanboys, "It's ok, I'm much happier as a ghost."

Worst Dramatic - He appears with Yoda and Leia at the end and Rey smiles at them in a finale scene lifted directly from RotJ. Oh fuck, that's happening. That's where they'll use the Carrie Fisher footage! Better yet, have every force ghost there, including both Anakins, like some massive fighting game roster, "We got every ghost back in this one!"

Kidding aside, I think just putting a bow or a cap on it at all will retroactively improve and wash out the unpleasant aftertaste of TLJ because it won't be the last word anymore, but will reinforce the power of those moments so they can be appreciated in a larger context. I'm not saying it'll be great, but it will no longer feel like such an instant death blow to the ole' childhood, just a mortal wound we'll get some necessary catharsis on here.
