John Boyega Reveals His Epic Vision for Finn in Star Wars & It Blows Away What We Got

John Boyega, who played Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, has been vocal about his disappointment with Lucasfilm for several reasons, primarily centered around the handling of his character and the broader treatment of diverse actors in the franchise. Below, I’ll break down the key reasons for his frustration, using simple language and drawing from his own words and relevant sources, while keeping the tone casual but clear.

Boyega felt that Finn, a former Stormtrooper introduced as a major character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), was sidelined as the trilogy progressed. He believed Finn was set up to be a central figure, possibly even a Jedi, but his role shrank in The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

In a 2020 interview with British GQ, Boyega said, “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. It’s not good. I’ll say it straight up.” He felt Lucasfilm marketed Finn as a key player but didn’t follow through with meaningful development, unlike the nuanced arcs given to characters like Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

Now, years after the last installment was released, Boyega finally revealed in details what he expected the story to go like.

In a recent chat with ScreenRant’s Liz Declan at Fan Expo Boston, he shared that after reading The Force Awakens script in 2015, he believed Finn was set up to be Force-sensitive and would have a bigger Jedi-focused storyline. Boyega thought the hints in the film pointed to a future where Finn and Rey might end up as rivals.

“I think I assumed he was Force-sensitive from The Force Awakens script or at least by the time I got to the end of The Force Awakens script. I thought they were planning dual Jedis. I actually thought that they would Obi-Wan and Darth Vader us a bit. That we would turn against each other or something along those lines.”

It sounds like an interesting premise and definitely would be received by the fans better than what we’ve got. The Rise of Skywalker faced significant criticism from fans, critics, and even some of its cast, like John Boyega, for a variety of reasons.

The film, directed by J.J. Abrams, aimed to wrap up the sequel trilogy and the entire Skywalker saga, but many felt it stumbled in execution. One major issue was its pacing and overstuffed plot. Critics noted that the movie tried to cram in too many storylines, new characters, and fan-service moments, leaving it feeling rushed and chaotic.

And one of the main reasons for the backlash was the fact that Finn’s character got abandoned and the handling of Rey’s character, especially her reveal as Palpatine’s granddaughter. While some liked the twist, others felt it contradicted The Last Jedi’s message that anyone could be a hero, not just those tied to legacy bloodlines.

Finn’s training and ultimately his rise as a Jedi could have confirmed that message.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!