Carrie Fisher's role in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' is set to offer "some kind of catharsis" for fans of the late actress.

Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher

The Hollywood icon - who passed away aged 60 in December 2016 after suffering cardiac arrest - will make her last outing as Princess Leia in the upcoming eighth instalment of the popular sci-fi franchise in scenes filmed prior to her passing, and the movie's director Rian Johnson believes her performance will offer "emotional satisfaction" to her legion of fans.

He said: "[I hope it] emotionally gives some kind of catharsis... it gives some kind of emotional satisfaction. I think so, I really hope so. I know for me it does."

And the 43-year-old filmmaker says Carrie's performance in the movie is "really beautiful", and despite the scenes not being filmed in the knowledge they would be her last, there are still moments within the feature that will "mean a lot to people".

He added: "Carrie gives a really beautiful performance in the film ... We obviously didn't make the movie to be her final film - final Star Wars movie. Given that though, I think there are scenes that she has that are going to mean a lot to people ... there are scenes that we have with her where, now not having her around, I watch them and I think, I'm really thankful that we have that and that we can give that to people."

Meanwhile, Rian also spoke of the importance of Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill, in the upcoming instalment, as he said writing the role of the Jedi in the movie was the "starting point" in creating the whole production.

Speaking to 'Good Morning America' whilst at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, over the weekend, Rian said: "[It was] absolutely the starting point [to making the film]. We have some sense of what Rey wants from Luke. To me, the big enigma is what's going on with Luke Skywalker. Why is he on that island? He knows his friends are in trouble. He knows the galaxy needs him. Why would this hero that I grew up with have put himself in exile? It was like if we could crack that nut then we have something to start working with and then that will inform what their whole relationship is."

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' will hit screens on December 15.

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