'Star Wars Episode IX' news: Gwendoline Christie unsure if her character Phasma will be included in next sequel

Captain Phasma in "Star Wars"Star Wars

"Game of Thrones" star Gwendoline Christie is quite sad that her character might not be alive and well for the next "Star Wars" film "Episode IX," since Captain Phasma was last seen killed by Finn (John Boyega) back in "The Last Jedi."

Notable for her chrome and shiny stormtrooper armor and her imposing height, Phasma may no longer be included in the final trilogy movie. Despite her apparent death in "The Last Jedi," Christie is still unsure whether she is still alive or not come the next sequel. 

"In truth, I don't know. And that scares and upsets me because I really want to see this character explored. I'm actually very invested in the character now. And that's genuine. That's not just chat. It has opened up a chain of stories and events in my mind about who Phasma is," said Christie. This means it is not only her fans who wanted Phasma's story and spotlight expanded, but her as well since the character is quite noticeably underused and underwhelming.

This makes it somewhat a waste of talent for Christie, who is well-known for her role as the tall female knight Brienne of Tarth in HBO's "Game of Thrones." Also, a lot of fans would have liked to have seen her in her natural strong female character role.

Still, "The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson explained that this decision for Phasma was unintended since there were already a lot of characters which had to fit in the story and make a name for their own in order to stand out. Phasma is unfortunately just tied to Finn's storyline, which is quite unfortunate since Finn did not have as much screentime or run-ins with her in "The Last Jedi."

There was also not enough space for Phasma to fit in with the story that Johnson had with "The Last Jedi," hence her being underutilized. It remains to be seen whether Phasma's fate will be the same in "Episode IX," granted that she is still alive though, as Christie hopes.