'Star Wars: Episode VIII' News: Carrie Fisher Says Franchise Succeeded Due to Focus on Family; Leia Gets New Nickname

By Jackie Villegas, Christian Post Contributor Monday, May 16, 2016

According to "Star Wars" franchise lead actress Carrie Fisher (Princess/General Leia Organa), the "Star Wars" films have gained mass appeal because they center on "family."

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Fisher talked about "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015), the latest installment in the franchise, and its record-breaking success. "This movie's about family, 'Star Wars' is. That's why it has the appeal."

In "The Force Awakens," Fisher reprised her role as Leia Organa, the twin sister of Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker, the only remaining Jedi. While Leia was known as a princess in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, by "The Force Awakens," which takes place roughly 30 years from the events in "Return of the Jedi" (1983), Leia had risen to the position of a general in the Resistance against the First Order.

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During the interview, in which Fisher promoted the documentary "Bright Lights," which focuses on her and her mother Debbie Reynolds, the "Star Wars" actress spoke about going to conventions such as the annual Comic-Con and interacting with hordes of "Star Wars" fans.

"The fans are incredible and they bring the entire family," she said. "It's about family and that's the most amazing thing."

Discussing "Bright Lights," Fisher looked back at her Hollywood career, saying, "I didn't want to be in show business, and I think I did a very good job [of that]."

"I think women are objectified," she explained. "You can't age, get fat. I don't think that's changed, though it's become more apparent and there is more awareness of it."

Fisher is currently writing a memoir about her work as Leia in the "Star Wars" movies. The memoir will be titled "The Princess Diarest."

Asked how she wants to be remembered, Fisher answered, "That I was a crazy, blurred, charismatic, weird, aging, kind person."

Incidentally, a new novel about the "Star Wars" universe, "Star Wars: Bloodline," has given Leia a new identity, which could be adopted in the upcoming films in the new "Star Wars" sequel trilogy.

In "Bloodline," written by Claudia Gray, Leia is known by a race called Nikto as "The Huttslayer." As Gizmodo notes, if "Episode VIII" and "Episode IX" adopt this new nickname, it would allow Disney to continue selling the bikini-clad Leia toys whose branding as "Slave Leia" has been widely criticized.

In April, "Episode VIII" director Rian Johnson announced that they were halfway through the shoot for the hotly anticipated film. "Star Wars: Episode VIII" is scheduled to open December 15, 2017.