10 Underrated Films by John Boyega You Must See

John Boyega has built a career that spans grounded dramas, historical stories, sharp satires, and large scale adventure. His roles range from lead characters built around real events to key parts in adaptations and original projects, which gives you a wide view of the kinds of stories he helps bring to the screen.

The titles below highlight work that many viewers miss on first pass. You will find festival winners, literary adaptations, and films that came through independent pipelines as well as studio distributors, with clear details on what each project covers and how Boyega fits into it.

‘Imperial Dreams’ (2014)

This drama follows a young father and aspiring writer from Watts who returns home after prison and works to provide for his son while avoiding the pull of gang life. John Boyega plays Bambi and the film places his character inside family responsibilities, probation requirements, and the logistics of housing and employment in Los Angeles.

‘Imperial Dreams’ premiered at a major independent film festival and won the Audience Award in the Next section before reaching a wider audience through a streaming release. Malik Vitthal directed and co wrote the film and the production shot on location in and around South Los Angeles neighborhoods.

‘Breaking’ (2022)

This true story centers on Marine veteran Brian Brown Easley who enters a bank to draw attention to the loss of his veterans benefits and the chain of events that follows once police respond. John Boyega portrays Easley and the film presents the procedures inside the branch, the negotiations with law enforcement, and the communications he attempts with media.

‘Breaking’ screened at a major winter festival under the title ‘892’ before a theatrical rollout in North America. Abi Damaris Corbin directed and the cast includes Nicole Beharie and Michael K Williams in his final film role, with distribution handled by an independent studio focused on specialty releases.

‘They Cloned Tyrone’ (2023)

This science fiction mystery tracks a drug dealer, a sex worker, and a hustler who uncover a covert program running experiments in their neighborhood and the larger operation hidden underneath daily life. John Boyega leads as Fontaine and the plot uses a chain of discoveries that reveal duplication, surveillance, and control.

‘They Cloned Tyrone’ is the feature directorial debut of Juel Taylor and it was released worldwide on a major streaming platform after a limited theatrical window. The film features Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris and blends conspiracy elements with retro and modern production design across real locations and built sets.

‘Naked Singularity’ (2021)

This adaptation follows a young New York public defender who faces mounting casework, a possible suspension, and a chance to disrupt a drug scheme that crosses into the court system he knows well. John Boyega plays Casi and the story uses courtroom procedures, arraignments, and evidence chains alongside a heist setup.

‘Naked Singularity’ is based on the novel by Sergio De La Pava and marks a feature directorial effort by Chase Palmer, who co wrote the script. The release used a limited theatrical run followed by video on demand, with Screen Media handling distribution and Olivia Cooke and Bill Skarsgård among the principal cast.

‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ (2013)

Set during the Nigeria Biafra conflict, this adaptation follows twin sisters from an educated family and the people around them as war, displacement, and political change alter their lives. John Boyega appears as Ugwu, whose employment in a household connects domestic life to the larger national crisis.

‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ adapts the novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and was directed by Biyi Bandele with an international cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandiwe Newton, and Anika Noni Rose. The production filmed in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and the release in Nigeria followed a review by the national film board before the film reached local cinemas.

‘Attack the Block’ (2011)

This South London set action story begins when a meteor lands near a council estate and a group of local teenagers defend their home from an escalating alien invasion. John Boyega plays Moses and the film tracks the group through stairwells, corridors, and rooftops as the threat increases across their block.

‘Attack the Block’ is the feature debut of writer director Joe Cornish and premiered at a spring film festival known for genre showcases before a UK release. The production involved Film4 and Big Talk Productions with StudioCanal on distribution, and the score pairs Steven Price with Basement Jaxx for electronic and orchestral cues.

‘Detroit’ (2017)

This historical drama examines the Algiers Motel incident during the civil unrest in Detroit and follows individuals caught inside a police investigation that escalates in a confined space. John Boyega portrays private security guard Melvin Dismukes and the film presents his interactions with police, witnesses, and survivors.

‘Detroit’ reunited director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal, who developed the script from archival research and interviews. The production shot in Massachusetts and Michigan to match period architecture, and Annapurna Pictures managed distribution across North America with an ensemble that includes Will Poulter, Algee Smith, and Anthony Mackie.

‘The Circle’ (2017)

This technology focused thriller follows a young employee at a powerful social media company who enters a program that tests continuous public transparency and real time data sharing. John Boyega plays Ty, a founder figure within the company who offers internal knowledge of the platform and its tools.

‘The Circle’ adapts the novel by Dave Eggers and was directed by James Ponsoldt with principal photography in California office parks and coastal locations. The cast includes Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, and Karen Gillan, and the release combined domestic theaters with an international strategy that used local distributors across multiple regions.

‘The Woman King’ (2022)

This historical action drama centers on the Agojie, the all female warrior unit of the Kingdom of Dahomey, and follows military training, tactics, and leadership in West Africa. John Boyega appears as King Ghezo and the film presents court politics, strategic decisions, and alliances with neighboring states.

‘The Woman King’ was directed by Gina Prince Bythewood and produced through TriStar Pictures with support from partners that specialize in large scale period productions. The shoot took place in South Africa with extensive stunt coordination and practical combat training, and distribution ran through Sony Pictures releases in major markets.

‘Junkhearts’ (2011)

This British drama follows a troubled former soldier in London who takes in a young woman and is drawn into criminal activity that intersects with addiction and street level exploitation. John Boyega appears as Jamal and the film presents his character within networks of friends and contacts who move through flats, alleys, and clubs.

‘Junkhearts’ was directed by Tinge Krishnan with a production that used real London locations and a compact schedule. The film played on the festival circuit prior to a limited UK release and it sits within a wave of independent British features that explore social issues through intimate character stories.

Share your own picks for overlooked John Boyega titles in the comments and let everyone know which ones you plan to watch next.