There was one thing that John Boyega requested from J.J. Abrams when the filmmaker returned to direct Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Boyega played Finn in the sequel trilogy, spanning 2015’s The Force Awakens, 2017’s The Last Jedi, and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. Depending on which fans you speak to, there are several things to nitpick about the Star Wars sequel trilogy, from storyline choices to character development. John Boyega has been vocal about his Star Wars feelings, though he did give some thoughts on how to grow his character of Finn in the third movie.
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The request that John Boyega gave to director J.J. Abrams for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was to have Finn stop falling. “I was doing a lot of falling in Star Wars,” Boyega said during a spotlight panel at Emerald City Comic Con. “I was always falling. Come on guys, be honest with me. You know I was always falling. So, I was like to J.J., ‘Can I be on my feet a little bit longer?’”
Boyega also lobbied for Finn to continue growing as a character, while also experiencing moments of triumph. “There was a level of growth from The Last Jedi to The Rise of Skywalker that me and J.J. had spoke about adding,” he said. “I was like to J.J., ‘I’m sick and tired of eating dirt J.J., I know how to move. My lightsaber skills are undeniable. Get me out there on the field.’ I remember J.J. coming up to me and saying, ‘John, we’ve got you, we’ve got Poe, we’ve got Chewbacca running through the corridors, taking out these stormtroopers.’ And that’s when I said, ‘Yeah, that’s enough.’ That was a nice moment and something for me to revel in.”
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The actor has previously said that he’s “open to all opportunities” when it comes to a return to the Star Wars franchise. However, he prefaced it by saying it would depend on who the creatives were behind the scenes and what story they had to tell.
“That was a few years ago, so they were the subject of that particular project,” Boyega clarified to TechRadar in regards to vocalizing his prior frustrations with Lucasfilm. “But I’m open to all characters and scripts that are enjoyable, have a great cast attached, and a terrific director. So yeah, I’m open to all opportunities.”
Lucasfilm is bringing Daisy Ridley back to star in a new Star Wars solo movie featuring Rey Skywalker. Naturally, she’s been asked about reuniting with some of her former co-stars, like John Boyega, which she of course said she’d be glad to do.
“Absolutely, of course,” Ridley said when asked if she’d like Boyega to be a part of her upcoming Star Wars project on the red carpet of her newest movie, Young Woman and the Sea. “It feels like we should, yeah.”
When asked if it would be weird to make a Star Wars movie without the likes of Boyega, Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), or Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Ridley said, “No, because I don’t know what is what or who is who [in the new movie]. So much has happened for me [since the Skywalker saga]. I feel like a grown-up now. When I first started, I was, like, 20. I was the youngest on set. It took me the first two Star Wars films to feel worthy of being there. Now I’m in my 30s. The whole thing feels quite different. I’ve been able to work with other filmmakers, and hopefully, I’ve got better as a performer.”
What did you enjoy the most about John Boyega’s performance as Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
