Carrie Fisher Fantasy Film Is Her Last Movie And It’s Finally Getting Released
Carrie Fisher's long delayed film Wonderwell, will release on June 23.
Legendary Star Wars actor Carrie Fisher tragically passed away in 2016, a full year before she appeared in The Last Jedi. Many fans understandably assumed that the posthumous sequel would be the last time she appeared on film. Her later appearance in Rise of Skywalker proved this assumption wrong, and now Deadline reports that yet another film featuring the late star, Wonderwell, will begin a limited theatrical run June 23, followed by a release to digital.
Wonderwell, which completed filming just six weeks before Carrie Fisher’s death, was in post-production for seven years thanks to issues with visual effects. The challenges caused the budget to inflate, which in turn led to the years-long delay.
The film revolves around Violet (Kiera Milward) as she is led by the witch Hazel (Carrie Fisher) to a portal that can give Violet a glimpse of the future. After falling through the portal, Violet must find her way home through a bizarre (and sometimes grotesque) world.
Wonderwell was directed by Vlad Marsavin, whose only previous directorial credits include the animated short Sebastian and the fantasy short film Albedo Absolute. Marsavin described Carrie Fisher as “full of energy” during the course of the shoot, recalling a time when she invited the film cast and crew to a party that got so loud police had to shut it down. Marsavin said the aftermath of Fisher’s death was “very emotional for the whole team.”
The death of the 60-year-old Carrie Fisher came as a surprise for the entire entertainment industry. She died unexpectedly on a flight from London to Los Angeles, about 15 minutes before landing. The Los Angeles coroner did not release a definitive cause of death but stated that sleep apnea and the buildup of fatty tissue around her arteries were contributing factors.
It was later revealed that she had multiple recreational drugs in her system, including heroin, MDMA, and cocaine. The coroner was unable to determine whether the drugs contributed to her death, but her daughter Billie Lourd later stated that she believes her mom’s lifelong struggle with drug addiction led to her death. Carrie Fisher’s mother, Singing in the Rain actress Debbie Reynolds, died of a stroke the day after Fisher’s death — her son, Todd, stated that her mom told him “I want to be with Carrie” shortly before dying.
In Wonderwell, Carrie Fisher performed alongside British singer-songwriter Rita Ora, who plays another witch named Yana. Ora said that working with Fisher was an unforgettable experience, and she’s excited that people will be able to see Fisher’s performance after so many years.
After its troubled development, Wonderwell finally appeared at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Very little was written about the long-delayed movie’s premiere, but it was picked up for distribution by Vertical Entertainment.
The film is set to have a limited theatrical release on June 23. After its release, it will be distributed digitally. A trailer for the film is currently available on iTunes.
