‘Star Wars’ Princess Leia Gets A New Title In ‘The Force Awakens’

Everyone remembers Carrie Fisher‘s Leia from the original Star Wars films; she was a tough, independent Princess who suffered no fools, frequently butted heads with Harrison Ford‘s Han Solo and helped save the galaxy. In an interview with EW, Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams reveals that we can expect much of the same when the character heads back to the big screen for the first time in 32 years this December, bar one crucial difference: Leia isn’t a princess anymore.

‘Star Wars’ Princess Leia Gets A New Title In ‘The Force Awakens’

“She’s referred to as General,” Abrams revealed.

“The stakes are pretty high in the story for her, so there’s not much goofing around where Leia’s concerned,” Abrams told EW. “But it felt historic to have her, especially with Harrison, back in scenes together. I can only imagine the baggage that they bring to it, I’m just a fan who loves this stuff, but they’ve been living with it — and living in it — since ’77.”

Fisher and Ford will also be joined by returning original trilogy cast member Mark Hamill, though images of the actor reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker in the upcoming film have yet to be released.

When asked what it meant to be working with her old co-stars in the part that made her a household name again, Fisher was quick to downplay the significance, joking:

“I think we’re pretty sick of each other by now, so we pretend to be interested in each other between takes. And we fail. I’m mostly interested in how [Ford] stays in such good shape. I can talk to him about that for a long time.”

The Force Awakens is intended to be the first in a new trilogy and features newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in lead roles, as well as Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o and Domhnall Gleeson.

Check out a trailer for the film, due out Dec. 18, below.