Star Wars 9: Todd Fisher speaks out after Kathleen Kennedy called him 'confused' over Leia

Fisher suggested last year that the late actress would be in the final movie in the saga, courtesy of unused footage from The Force Awakens and/or The Last Jedi.

But Kathleen Kennedy, president of LucasFilm, said he was “confused”; adding she had “no idea why he said that”.

There’s been an about-turn, however: on Friday it was confirmed that unused footage of Carrie WILL be used in the saga finale after all.

“J.J. [Abrams, director] really made this happen,” Todd told The Hollywood Reporter.

“If I was in anyway an inspiration for the final decision to keep Leia a part of the story, that’s great.

“I must say at times I felt like a voice crying in the wilderness.”

Kennedy has not commented on the U-turn, but presumably signed off on a statement Abrams released on Friday as the news was announced.

“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” he beamed.

“Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character.”

Other legacy characters returning will be Mark Hamill – back as Luke Skywalker despite being killed off in The Last Jedi – and Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian.

Naomi Acke, Richard E Grant and Keri Russell are among the newcomers to the saga taking on as-yet-undisclosed roles.

Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo and Carrie Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd all return.

Episode 9 – the official title for which is not yet known – will conclude the Skywalker Saga.

Star Wars 9 is out in December 2019.