The Star Wars sequel trilogy has fewer names bigger than John Boyega. Boyega, who rose into the spotlight as Finn, is one-third of the sequel trilogy’s main trio, along with Oscar Issac’s Poe Dameron and Daisy Ridley’s Rey. Of the three stars, John Boyega has expressed the most frustration over how the Star Wars sequels treated his character, and he’s also come under fire from fans. Despite that, Boyega has gone on record saying that he’s “open to all opportunities” when it comes to returning to Star Wars.
John Boyega first appeared as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). From the start, it was clear to fans that Finn, Poe, and Rey were meant to mirror Han, Luke, and Leia’s dynamic from the original trilogy. However, as the Star Wars sequel trilogy continued, the story’s focus shifted onto the dynamics between Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey, who some saw as tragic star-crossed lovers. The shift in focus meant Oscar Issac’s and John Boyega’s characters got pushed to the side, which was unfortunate because they were some of the only main characters of color in the Star Wars franchise.
John Boyega Flips His Stance on Returning to Star Wars
In a GQ interview from 2020, John Boyega made his views on returning to the franchise very clear: it wasn’t going to happen.
“What I would say to Disney is do not bring out a black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side,” Boyega stated. “It’s not good. I’ll say it straight up.”
In the interview, Boyega expressed his frustration at Disney’s mistreatment of not only himself but also Oscar Issac, Kelly Marie Tran, and Naomi Ackle. Boyega stated that Disney “knew what to do” with Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley, but when it came to himself and Tran, they “knew f**k all.” With these comments and others on the record, John Boyega’s bitterness toward the Star Wars franchise is well-documented. Conversely, some of his more recent comments show he may have changed his mind.
Boyega has stated that he’s “open to all opportunities” when it comes to Star Wars, so long as the project is right for him. Regarding his previous stance on returning to the franchise, Boyega stated this:
“That was a few years ago, so they were the subject of that particular project. But I’m open to all characters and scripts that are enjoyable, have a great cast attached, and a terrific director.”
Ultimately, whether or not John Boyega will return to Star Wars depends on where the franchise is headed. It’ll be interesting to see if he ends up finding the right project to make his return. If he does return, we are curious about what that might mean for his future. For now, you can watch John Boyega in The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Force Awakens. In non-Star Wars projects, he’s also starred in The Woman King (2022) and Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone (2023).
