When it comes to Star Wars, sometimes fans think they know better than Lucasfilm when it comes to casting actors for movies. And sometimes, they dont.

As “Star Wars: Episode IX” prepares to begin production, fans have created a petition to have actress Meryl Streep take over the role of Princess Leia in the next chapter of the Star Wars Saga.

From Dork Side Of The Force:

An online petition has been launched, which is gaining some buzz. There are some fans that do want to see this happen. But its hard to gauge its authenticity. It states the following.

“As the fans of STAR WARS and Carrie Fisher, we really want Leia to shine in Episode IX and we certainly do not want her to be written out of the film abruptly without a reasonable plot. Therefore, recasting Leia is a more ideal option for us and we believe that Meryl Streep is an ideal candidate to play Leia. We strongly believed that she is the best hope for us to see the legacy of Carrie Fisher in Episode IX. May the force be with Carrie Fisher, Meryl Streep and Princess Leia.”

At the time of her death, Carrie Fisher was rumored to have a much larger role in “Star Wars: Episode IX”. Rumors and speculation began to hit the net that Lucasfilm might digitally recreate Princess Leia, or General Organa, like they did in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. Lucasfilm quickly put those rumors to rest when they made the following announcement back in January 2017:

“We don’t normally respond to fan or press speculation, but there is a rumor circulating that we would like to address. We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess or General Leia Organa. Carrie Fisher was, is, and always will be a part of the Lucasfilm family. She was our princess, our general, and more importantly, our friend. We are still hurting from her loss. We cherish her memory and legacy as Princess Leia, and will always strive to honor everything she gave to Star Wars.”

I know it sounds like heresy, but personally, I’m fine with Lucasfilm casting another actress to play Leia. I would rather see an actress step in, than for anyone to attempt another CGI version of Fisher, which Lucasfilm has already addressed above. Although the digital process was an fascinating way to recreate a younger version of Princess Leia in “Rogue One”, every time I watch that scene, I know it isn’t real, and it just takes away from the moment. But, I dont know about Meryl Streep. Yes, she is a great actress, but she is also too recognizable as Meryl Streep. At least get someone that looks somewhat like Carrie Fisher and I think an unknown actress would be a better way to go.

What do you think? Do you thing Meryl Streep is the the right choice? Would you rather see another actress replace Carrie Fisher? Or do you think they should address Leia’s passing through some kind of dialogue in the film?

Source: Dork Side Of The Force

Joe Hogarty