Carrie Fisher is to appear in the new movie in the Star Wars [3] franchise. The actor, who played Princess Leia [4] in the first three George Lucas films, confirmed the news with a simple "Yes," in a Q&A with Palm Beach Illustrated [5].

Asked to describe how George Lucas' sole female part with any lines [6]--bar two--would probably be today, Fisher, no stranger to wit, said this:

"Elderly. She’s in an intergalactic old folks’ home [laughs]. I just think she would be just like she was before, only slower and less inclined to be up for the big battle."

The marketing clout of Star Wars has been used by everyone from Adidas [7] to Angry Birds [8]. Last year Lucasfilm, George Lucas's production house, was bought up by Disney [9] for just over $4 billion.

Thumbs up or thumbs down for the news? Was this the right way for Disney to go--indeed, was it the only way to go? Or should they, metaphorically speaking, leave Leia in the old folks' home and zoom off to a younger planet, less far, far away? If not Carrie, then who? Park your thoughts in the galactic space park that is our comments box.

[Image by Flickr user istolethetv [10]]