Star Wars fans won’t be seeing John Boyega in the franchise anytime soon as The Rise of Skywalker star has admitted he’s moving on. Boyega served a prominent role in the sequel trilogy as stormtrooper turned Resistance fighter, Finn. Boyega’s last appearance was in the final and most recent Star Wars film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. He starred alongside the trilogy’s two other central characters, Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac).
The Star Wars star made headlines earlier this summer when he made a speech at a London Black Lives Matter protest. Boyega hasn’t shied away from sharing his opinions on the Star Wars franchise either. After Star Wars: The Last Jedi premiered, Boyega revealed he disagreed with some of the script choices. But when it came to The Rise of Skywalker, Boyega was largely in support of the film despite widespread criticism.
Boyega revealed he has no intention of returning to the Star Wars franchise in a comment on Instagram. He shared a picture from the set of his upcoming TV show, Small Axe. One fan questioned whether he would be making another appearance in the franchise to which Boyega replied “lol no thank you. I’ve moved on” followed by a heart emoji. Going forward, Boyega has multiple projects in the works - including a crime drama called Naked Singularity, his first post-Star Wars gig - and it's clear he isn't itching to return to a galaxy far, far away anytime soon.
This news shouldn't come as a surprise to those familiar with Boyega and his role as Finn. Boyega previously said he wouldn’t likely return to any future Star Wars films after The Rise of Skywalker premiered. The franchise will have a new trilogy sometime in the near future but it’s unlikely any of the primary characters from the previous one would appear in future installments. Some fans have begun speculating that Disney will distance themselves from the trilogy entirely, but this is unlikely as audiences responded well to the characters.
A definite end to Boyega’s time in the Star Wars franchise now could bode well for future success. While many of his upcoming projects seem to be action-based, Boyega may choose to venture into other genres. If he begins to diversify his repertoire now, Boyega can avoid any typecasting that may prove difficult as his career progresses. But with his outspoken, unapologetic, and kind demeanor, Boyega will likely have no trouble finding further success. For those fantasizing about a potential future for Boyega in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, he has previously said that’s not the direction he plans on going in.
Source: John Boyega