Almost seven years after the tragic death of the renowned Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher, fans will finally have the opportunity to see the beloved Princess Leia character once more in her last cinematic appearance.
Deadline reported that the production company, Vertical had recently secured the distribution rights for the late actress’ last film, Wonderwell, in North America, as well as the United Kingdom and Ireland. The movie’s shooting schedule was wrapped up in Italy just four days before the actress’ untimely death on December 27, 2016, due to a heart attack.
Director Vlad Marsavin reveals why ‘Wonderwell’s release took so long
In an interview with Deadline, director Vlad Marsavin revealed that the completion of the project has been a seven-year endeavor since filming initially commenced. He explained that production faced numerous challenges, including the unexpected death of Carrie Fisher and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Now is the perfect time to share [Fisher’s] magical on screen moments as Hazel,” he admitted.
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The director further noted that Fisher was full of life all through the production of the movie. “Carrie was full of energy during filming and even celebrated her 60th birthday with us in Italy, where we shot the movie,” Marsavin explained to the news outlet. “After a night shoot, which went on until 2 am, she invited the whole team to celebrate with her, and the party ended up being shut down by the police because it was deemed a little too loud. Her passing was very emotional for the whole team.”
Producer Lee Rudnicki speaks about his time working with Carrie Fisher
One of the producers of the movie, Lee Rudnicki, shared his emotional response after attending a screening of the movie in Rome and witnessing Carrie Fisher’s final scenes. The producer expressed that the actress’ last scene had a profound impact on him, leaving him breathless with its powerful delivery.
“In fact, if you were an actor, and you knew with 100% certainly this was your last day on Earth, this is a scene you might design to say goodbye to your fans,” Rudnicki wrote. “Carrie’s last line is about life itself — I won’t spoil it here, but it is genius, if not heartbreaking.”