The Star Wars sequel trilogy, which began with the 2015 release of The Force Awakens, introduced a new generation of characters such as John Boyega’s Finn, a former First Order Stormtrooper turned Resistance fighter. Boyega recently disclosed that the original vision for his character involved a much deeper connection to the Force, including plans for Finn to become a Jedi alongside Daisy Ridley’s Rey. This revelation sheds light on how the story of Finn was originally intended to evolve versus the outcome in the completed trilogy.
Intended Jedi Path for Finn in Early Scripts
John Boyega expressed in a 2025 interview that from the beginning, he assumed Finn was meant to be Force-sensitive. He believed that by the end of The Force Awakens script, the filmmakers were planning for Finn and Rey to develop parallel Jedi storylines. Boyega suggested that the narrative might have echoed the dynamic between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, with Finn and Rey opposing each other or engaging in complex rivalry.
At the 2023 C2E2 event in Chicago, Boyega recalled a deleted scene from The Rise of Skywalker where he almost openly declared himself a Jedi. He shared,
“There was a couple takes where I just said it, ‘[shouts] I’m a Jedi.’ There was a couple, but it was good to tease it. I wanted to say it when they’re going down into the quicksand.”
Original Vision for Finn in Episode IX’s Script
The later sequel films, especially The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, diverted substantially from these initial ideas. Boyega described The Last Jedi as his least favorite of the trilogy, noting how the film relegated Finn and Kelly Marie Tran’s character Rose to a side quest, limiting their impact on the main storyline. While J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson collaborated on the trilogy’s direction through discussions, they never fully unified their vision, leaving room for various interpretations of Finn’s role.
Initially, Colin Trevorrow was set to direct Episode IX, but his departure led Abrams to resume the director’s role. Trevorrow’s screenplay, leaked as Duel of the Fates, presented a drastically different direction for Finn. In this version, Finn instigates a citizens’ uprising on Coruscant near the First Order’s Citadel and Palace, a far more prominent and powerful role compared to what appeared in the released film.
Boyega reflected on Trevorrow’s approach, referencing concept art depicting Finn leading an insurgency, holding a blue flag amidst decorated AT-AT walkers and unmasked stormtroopers. He said,
“I think Colin Trevorrow was going to tell that story. That image of Finn with the blue flag, and you have the AT-ATs lined up with tribal marks, and the stormtroopers take off their helmets. That would have been sick! That would have been dope, man, hands down.”
Boyega’s Critique of Finn’s Treatment in the Sequels
Over time, John Boyega has openly criticized how Disney managed Finn’s character, especially regarding the screen time and development afforded to him. Boyega emphasized in a 2020 interview that the appeal and success of roles come down to the quality and quantity of moments written for those characters. He argued that if popular heroes like Captain America are not given enough engaging scenes, audiences will fail to appreciate them, and the same should not be different for Black characters and actors.
Boyega went further in a September 2020 interview, bluntly addressing Disney’s marketing and narrative decisions.
“You get yourself involved in projects and you’re not necessarily going to like everything. [But] 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 was also frank about the unequal distribution of character complexity.
“They gave all the nuance to Adam Driver, all the nuance to Daisy Ridley,”
Boyega said.
“Let’s be honest. Daisy knows this. Adam knows this. Everybody knows. I’m not exposing anything.”
Following these criticisms, Boyega had a frank and open conversation with Disney representatives. He described the discussion as
“a very honest, a very transparent conversation,”
explaining,
“I’d hope that me being so open with my career, at this stage, would help the next man, the guy that wants to be the assistant [director of photography], the guy that wants to be a producer.”
Future Prospects for Finn’s Story in Star Wars
With many Star Wars films and series currently underway at Lucasfilm, fans and Boyega alike wonder if Finn’s full story will ever be explored further. In 2020, Boyega revealed interest in reprising his role through animation, noting,
“An animated show would be dope! We could do it from home.”
However, by 2022, Boyega had shifted his stance, making it clear that he was finished with the live-action saga. He stated,
“At this point I’m cool off it. I’m good off it. I think Finn is at a good confirmation point where you can just enjoy him in other things, the games, the animation. But I feel like ‘[Episode] VII’ to ‘[Episode] IX’ was good for me.”
Among upcoming projects, a Daisy Ridley-led movie intended to advance Rey’s story and build a new Jedi Order currently seems the most logical place where Finn’s character might be revisited or redeemed. However, this would likely depend on Boyega’s willingness to return.
As of now, neither Lucasfilm nor Disney has confirmed any involvement by John Boyega in forthcoming Star Wars ventures. For the present, the actor appears focused on other opportunities, though his participation remains a possibility should the right project arise.
