John Boyega revealed in an Instagram comment this week that he has officially “moved on” from Finn when a user expressed their desires to see him in the next Star Wars film. While Boyega has been vocal about his opposition to the direction writers have taken Finn in the past, he explained that he’s just “not into playing one role for too long,” as to why he is done with the franchise.
Boyega first reached international acclaim with his role as Finn, a Stormtrooper who defects from the First Order, in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams. After The Force Awakens, many felt that Boyega was primed to leap into a more substantial role in the franchise, as he quickly became a fan favorite for his bravery, humor, and quick wit. However, in Rian Johnson’s 2017 sequel Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Finn became almost an afterthought, with many, including Boyega himself, being critical of the way the character was written after such a promising start. The apparently final Star Wars appearance for Boyega was in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which was once again directed by J.J. Abrams and featured Finn in a more prominent role than the its predecessor. Each film were huge financial successes.
The England native’s newest project is Naked Singularity, directed by Chase Palmer in his debut and starring Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgård, and more. It is currently in post-production after beginning filming in May 2019.