For most of us in the fandom, the irreverence toward John Boyega’s rogue Finn during his tenure in the Star Wars franchise seems like an extreme reaction. But there was, in the end, an undeniable barrage of attacks levied at a talented and emergent artist who chose to portray a transgressive and nonconformist role to an audience who couldn’t look past the color of his skin. His devotion to the franchise and his audience rightfully declined under all the neglect and parrying by Disney. It is then understandable why he would promise not to return to franchises (although not in so many words).
But, like the most miraculous of uprisings, DC has managed to turn a lot of heads this year and shock almost as many around the globe. With Boyega being one of those heads, the question now remains whether James Gunn will prove worthy enough to bring even the ex-rogue trooper out of franchise retirement.
John Boyega Shows Excitement For DC’s The Flash
In a recent Twitter post, the former Star Wars sequel trilogy actor, John Boyega has shown immense enthusiasm for the upcoming film of DC – The Flash. Claimed as one of the best DC movies ever made, the film looks radically incredible in its potential, and with an invocation of the old and the new, Ezra Miller’s journey in the franchise finds a deserving cause to stick to until the chapter’s end.
That Flash trailer is amazing! Alright DC!
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) February 13, 2023
But Boyega’s show of support, on the other hand, surpasses the commonplace excitement shown by fans around the world. For this specific actor, there is a specific place waiting for him and nothing excites the fandom more than theorizing that the tweet might be indicative of Boyega arriving at DC as John Stewart in the new HBO Max series, Lanterns.
Can John Boyega Be Part of the DCU’s New Chapters?
John Boyega’s presence in the industry has been pushed into a corner where he feels safer within the sets of movies like Breaking and The Woman King than he would do on the sets of a globally loved and respected franchise. In the current context, franchises have overtaken the film industry and encroached on it from every angle. Be it intergalactic space-war films, comic book movies, or high-octane car-chasing thrill rides, where there is a genre, there exists a franchise that dominates it. However, for Boyega, that doesn’t seem to be an option anymore. In a SiriusXM podcast, the actor claimed,
“At this point I’m cool off [franchises]. I’m good off it… To be fair, [with] the allies that I’ve found within Joel Taylor and Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, Viola Davis, all these people I’ve been working with… versatility is my path.”
But at the same time, Boyega was also stunned by the immediate action on his former franchise’s part and the cast members of Obi-Wan Kenobi at their readiness to stand up for Moses Ingram when she came under racist attacks from toxic fans of the franchise. For him, “Moses Ingram being protected makes me feel protected” and he’s no longer “the elephant in the room.”
So returning to franchises that have become more vocal about inclusion, representation, and more protective of their cast – especially a far-reaching and influential one as DC under James Gunn’s reign may seem like a healthy start to a new relationship between John Boyega and a new chapter, both in terms of DC as well as the actor’s life.
The Flash arrives in theatres on July 16, 2023.
Source: Twitter | John Boyega
