Carrie Fisher is not done with "Star Wars" after all — Lucasfilm says unreleased footage of the actress will be used in the next installment of the "Star Wars" saga to draw her character's story to an end.
The studio and writer-director J.J. Abrams announced Friday that footage of Fisher shot for 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be used in the ninth film in the space opera's core trilogies about the Skywalker family that includes Fisher's character, Leia.
Filming is scheduled to begin Wednesday at London's Pinewood Studios.
Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, will also appear in the film, which for the moment is simply called "Episode IX." It is scheduled to be released in December 2019.
Fisher died in December 2016 after she finished work on the middle installment in the trilogy, "The Last Jedi." Director Rian Johnson opted not alter her storyline, leaving Leia's fate to be handled by Abrams.
"We desperately loved Carrie Fisher," Abrams said in a statement. "Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us."
He said recasting Fisher or recreating her using computer graphics, as was done in a spinoff film "Rogue One," was not an option.
"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."
Friday's announcement also confirmed that Billy Dee Williams will be returning to the franchise as Lando Calrissian, a hero of the rebellion who hasn't been seen in the latest trilogy.
Also returning to the film are Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, who all play heroes.
Adam Driver and Domhnall Gleeson, who play villains in the latest films, are also returning.
Canada orders TikTok’s Canadian business to be dissolved but won’t block app
Canada announced Wednesday it won't block access to the popular video-sharing app TikTok but is ordering the dissolution of its Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind it.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said it is meant to address risks related to ByteDance Ltd.'s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
"The government is not blocking Canadians' access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content. The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice," Champagne said.
Champagne said it is important for Canadians to adopt good cybersecurity practices, including protecting their personal information.
He said the dissolution order was made in accordance with the Investment Canada Act, which allows for the review of foreign investments that may harm Canada's national security. He said the decision was based on information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada's security and intelligence community and other government partners.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of local jobs.
"We will challenge this order in court," the spokesperson said. "The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive."
TikTok is wildly popular with young people, but its Chinese ownership has raised fears that Beijing could use it to collect data on Western users or push pro-China narratives and misinformation. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.
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