John Boyega Might Finally Get His 'Star Wars' Redemption In Rey Solo Film - Inside the Magic

Despite having spoken out about his less-than-favorable time with Star Wars, it looks like John Boyega may be returning to the galaxy far, far away for the upcoming Rey solo movie.

Boyega’s Finn, a former Stormtrooper-turned-Resistance leader, was undoubtedly a highlight of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, made up of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (2015), Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (2017), and Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Working alongside Rey (Daisy Ridley), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and other members of the Resistance, Finn and the band of ragtag rebels face off against Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to once and for all destroy the remnants of the Galactic Empire, now organized into the nefarious “First Order.

The Sequel Trilogy quickly became one of, if not the most divisive Star Wars projects, and remains a touchy subject amongst fans to this day. While The Force Awakens was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from both fans and critics alike, grossing over $2 billion at the box office, The Last Jedi chose to go in a wildly different direction, introducing an older and grumpier version of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) that many criticized for being out-of-character.

Perhaps most controversial of all was The Rise of Skywalker, which tried desperately to undo everything its predecessor did. The movie pulled out all the stops, from bringing back a cloned Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), to officially granting Rey the rank of “Skywalker.” One of the most common complaints also surrounded Finn, who audiences felt was underutilized and flat-out ignored in the final instillation.

Boyega hasn’t been shy about voicing his feelings on this in the past, telling SiriusXM in an interview last year that he was ready to step away from the franchise, saying:

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.

The actor also famously called out Disney about his diminished role over the course of the franchise, advising the studio to “not bring out a black character, market them to be much more important to the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It’s not good.”

Since then, Boyega seems to have come to terms with his Star Wars experience, even if it was less than favorable, admitting to The Times of London during a recent interview that the anguish he faced following the release of Rise of Skywalker “made a man of him.”

Now, in light of new information, the timing behind Boyega’s recent remarks doesn’t seem like so much of a coincidence. At the recent Star Wars Celebration Europe, fans were pleasantly surprised to learn that a Rey solo film was in the works, once again starring Daisy Ridley. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is set to helm the movie, which will reportedly follow Rey as she attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order.

And according to a reputable source, more surprises might be in store, as Boyega is rumored to make his Star Wars comeback in the 2025 Rey spinoff film. This rumor was initially leaked by industry insider Jeff Sneider on the latest episode of The Hot Mic podcast, where he revealed that “a couple of different sources” have told him “John Boyega will be coming back” to the franchise.

As per two of Sneider’s trusted sources, Boyega and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy have supposedly “buried the hatchet,” allowing for new negotiations to take place behind the scenes.

While this may come as a shock to those who believed Boyega had truly called it quits on Star Wars, this is far from the first time a similar situation has happened in franchise history. Even Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Prequel Trilogy, had sworn off returning to Star Wars before he was given the chance to reprise his role for Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries.

Finn’s potential role in the upcoming project could prove particularly exciting, as we could see the character exploring his Force sensitivity and learning from Rey at her new Jedi school. Since he was given such an open ending, the possibilities for where Finn’s story could go next are limitless.

It’ll be interesting to see if these rumors have any legitimacy to them or if they remain pure speculation. Luckily, we might be able to find out soon, as pre-production on the film is rumored to start as soon as August, in time for a late 2025 release window. Who knows? If Boyega is back on board, then maybe Isaac, Hamill, and others will follow suit. But for now, any news surrounding the project will surely be kept under tight wraps.

Would you like to see John Boyega return to Star Wars in the upcoming Rey movie? Share your thoughts in the comments below.