‘Star Wars’: JJ Abrams Pays Tribute To Carrie Fisher As Episode IX Production Starts

JJ Abrams marked the first day of ‘Star Wars 9’ production by paying tribute to Carrie Fisher on Twitter.

The director is back at the helm for the ninth episode of the franchise and the cast reassembled at Pinewood Studios to begin filming on Wednesday.

JJ Abrams 

JJ is a Twitter newcomer, having opened his account this week, and his first ever post also included a picture from the set.

“Bittersweet starting this next chapter without Carrie, but thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew, we are ready to go,” he wrote alongside it. “Grateful for @rianjohnson and special thanks to George Lucas for creating this incredible world and beginning a story of which we are lucky to be a part. #IX.”

Carrie died in late 2016, shortly after production on ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ had been completed.

When the film was released, it was dedicated to the General Leia star and talk soon turned to how Disney and LucasFilm would bring the character’s story to an end following Carrie’s death.

Carrie on set of 'The Last Jedi' with director Rian Johnson 

After months of speculation, it was recently announced that Carrie will feature in Episode IX thanks to unused footage from ‘The Last Jedi’.

As always, the next film’s plot is top secret and fans have to wait a long wait before finding out what happens, as the movie is slated for release in December 2019.