Star Wars: The Original Plans For John Boyega's Finn Explained

The "Star Wars" sequel trilogy remains a source of unending conversation. While both "The Last Jedi" and "The Rise of Skywalker" were met with divisive reactions, director J.J. Abrams' "The Force Awakens" kicked things off with a bang in 2015, delivering a true generational pop culture moment. Much of that had to do with the successful introduction of new characters, not just leaning on Han, Luke, and Leia.

Daisy Ridley's Rey led the new cast alongside Adam Driver's villainous Kylo Ren. Then there was John Boyega's Finn, aka FN-2187, a Stormtrooper within the First Order who defects and joins the Resistance.

Finn's arc in "The Last Jedi" and "The Rise of Skywalker" diverged greatly, both from what was actually planned originally and what Boyega anticipated when he signed on for the trilogy. In a 2025 interview, Boyega revealed that he thought the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy had a different plan for Finn and Rey:

"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."

"There was a couple takes where I just said it, '[shouts] I'm a Jedi.'" Boyega revealed at C2E2 in Chicago last year, explaining that there was a cut version of a "Star Wars" scene that would have confirmed Finn as a Jedi, seemingly in "The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019. "There was a couple, but it was good to tease it. I wanted to say it when they're going down into the quicksand."

John Boyega has said that he thinks "The Last Jedi" is his worst "Star Wars" movie. Directed by Rian Johnson, the story pushed Finn and Kelly Marie Tran's Rose off on a side quest. It's understandable that Boyega didn't love that. The actor had certain expectations for Finn in the sequel trilogy, but what about what was intended by the filmmakers?

J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson collaborated on the future of "Star Wars," but they didn't write a treatment for the whole trilogy, merely "had a lot of conversations." As for "The Rise of Skywalker," it was originally supposed to be directed by Colin Trevorrow ("Jurassic World"). He later departed, with Abrams taking back over. Trevorrow's version of Episode IX was radically different.

In January 2020, Trevorrow's script for a very different movie called "Duel of the Fates" leaked. It was a major departure from what we got in "Rise of Skywalker," especially as it relates to Finn. Rather than just being part of a team that's more or less pushed to the outskirts of the movie, Trevorrow's version saw him start "a citizens uprising on Coruscant around the First Order's Citadel/Palace." Concept art shared on Instagram showcases what that might have looked like.

In an October 2020 interview with Yahoo, Boyega touched on the plans for his character that never came to pass. Referencing the concept art, the actor had this to say about it:

"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."

In the years since it concluded, Boyega has been rather critical of Disney's handling of Finn and other characters in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy. He's not been once to mince words in regards to his dissatisfaction.

"We all know that what makes roles so lucrative [are] the moments you give them," Boyega said in that same 2020 Yahoo Interview. "If Captain America isn't given the scenes to boost his representation, and to make him enjoyable for you guys, we won't think he's cool. Why shouldn't Black characters and Black actors also fight for that same kind of representation?"

In a different interview in September 2020, Boyega got brutally honest about his "Star Wars" franchise experience. The actor directly called out Disney for its handling of Finn, a Black character, whom he felt was pushed to the side.

"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."

"They gave all the nuance to Adam Driver, all the nuance to Daisy Ridley," Boyega added. "Let's be honest. Daisy knows this. Adam knows this. Everybody knows. I'm not exposing anything."

Boyega later met with Disney after voicing his dissatisfaction, calling it "a very honest, a very transparent conversation." He also added, "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."

The question for John Boyega and many fans is: Will Finn's story ever fully be told in a future "Star Wars" project? In that 2020 Yahoo interview, the actor suggested that he'd be willing to return as Finn in an animated series. "An animated show would be dope! We could do it from home," he said at the time.

However, Boyega has since changed his tune. In a 2022 interview, Boyega made it clear that he won't return to the "Star Wars" franchise, suggesting that he could return outside of the movies, but that's about it.

"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."

Lucasfilm has quite a few "Star Wars" movies and TV shows currently in the works, several of which could in theory bring Finn back. The Daisy Ridley-led movie that will bring Rey back to build a new Jedi Order is the most logical. The Rey "Star Wars" movie has a lot of plot threads to resolve, but giving Finn a redemption arc could be one of them ... That is, assuming Boyega could be convinced to return.

As of right now, Lucasfilm and Disney haven't confirmed Boyega's participation in any upcoming "Star Wars" projects and, for the time being, it seems like he's content to focus his attention elsewhere. But that could easily change if the right thing came along.