Screen Rant reports that Carrie Fisher's brother, Todd, credits Star Wars: Episode IX director J.J. Abrams with finding a way to include General Leia Organa in the film. Fisher passed away in December 2016. Leia's future in the Skywalker saga was then in question. There was a point in time when she was going to be at the forefront of the finale. Lucasfilm started from scratch after the tragedy of her death. Long ago, the studio confirmed Fisher's likeness would not be recreated via CGI.