Carrie Fisher's Final Movie to Be Released in Theaters, More Than 7 Years After Her Death

Carrie Fisher is headed back to the big screen.

On Wednesday, Vertical announced that it has acquired the rights to distribute the late actress' final film, Wonderwell, in North America and the United Kingdom and Ireland. Fisher originally completed filming scenes for the movie in 2016, just weeks before she died on Dec. 27, 2016 at age 60 after suffering a heart attack.

The film distributor is planning a limited theatrical release for the movie at AMC Theatres before it releases digitally, beginning Friday, June 23. Wonderwell also stars Rita Ora, Nell Tiger Free, Sebastian Croft and Kiera Milward.

The film's director Vlad Marsavin said in a press release that the project has taken seven years to complete since filming began, explaining that production was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and Fisher's unexpected death.

"Now is the perfect time to share [Fisher's] magical on screen moments as Hazel," Marsavin said in the release, noting that Wonderwell will include a dedication to the late actress.

“Carrie was full of energy during filming and even celebrated her 60th birthday with us in Italy where we shot the movie," he said. "After a night shoot, which went on until 2am, 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.”

Fisher's costar in the movie Ora, 32, said in a release that "working alongside Carrie Fisher was one of those experiences that you never forget."

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The movie follows a girl named Violet (Milward) who is brought to "a mysterious portal" near a medieval Italian village by Fisher's character Hazel, who offers "a glimpse of what [Violet's] future might hold" after Violet and her family travel to the village for her sister's modeling opportunity, according to the outlet.

As Deadline noted on Wednesday, Lee Rudnicki, a producer on the film, wrote a July 2021 blog post about his reaction to seeing Fisher's final scenes in the movie after he attended a screening of the movie in Rome. At the time, Rudnicki wrote that Fisher's final scene "took my breath away."

"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 heart breaking.

The producer added in the post that viewing the moment gave him "goosebumps like I have never experienced in my life."

"The scene is golden, a magical final curtain call for a very special actress and woman who left this Earth far too soon," Rudnicki wrote.

Fisher, best known for her role as Leia in the Star Wars franchise, posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame back in May, which her daughter Billie Lourd accepted on her behalf.

The actress also appeared posthumously in 2017's Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, which she filmed before Wonderwell, per Deadline. She appeared in the Star Wars franchise again for 2019's The Rise of Skywalker via previously unused footage from the preceding two films.

Wonderwell will release in select theaters and on digital beginning June 23.