In a personal and wide-ranging interview with Men’s Health, John Boyega denied a persistent rumor that he’ll be making his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel The Marvels.
“That’s not in the vision for me now,” admits the actor.
He adds, “I want to do nuanced things. . . . I want to donate my services to original indie films that come with new, fresh ideas,” explaining his MCU reluctance, “…because I know it’s real hard to top Iron Man in that universe.”
Aside from admiring Robert Downey Jr.‘s onscreen alter-ego, the feature also reveals Boyega’s looked up to Downey in other ways.
“I am very interested in people who go to dark spaces and are able to flip that,” he says, adding the star, who overcame addiction to become one of the world’s biggest movie stars, advised him about his career.
“You’re going to go through some turbulence. You’re going to try to find who you are within this. It might be rocky, but you’ll come out the end with a solid identity,” he continues, quoting the star.
Some of that turbulence included his turn in the Star Wars sequels, which began with racist trolling about him being a Black Stormtrooper and crescendoed when watching directors Rian Johnson and JJ Abrams marginalize his character Finn in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
Boyega is proud he was so outspoken about both. “I’m the one that brought this to the freaking forefront,” the actor says.
He insists Lucasfilm will now “make sure you’re well-supported and at least you [now] go through this franchise knowing that everybody is going to have [your] back. I’m glad I talked out everything at that time.”
Marvel and Lucasfilm are owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Related Posts
Michelle Yeoh to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom
May 3, 2024
ABCGlobal action superstar and Everything Everywhere All at Once Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh…
Britney Spears shows off swollen ankle after paramedics called to her hotel
May 3, 2024
Scott Dudelson/Getty ImagesBritney Spears is responding to claims made by TMZ that police and…
Ed Sheeran won’t release new music this year: “I’m just going to sit on it for a bit”
May 3, 2024
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesEd Sheeran released two albums last year, – (Subtract) and Autumn…
Weekend Watchlist: What’s new on streaming
May 3, 2024
Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows streaming this…
“I will not sit back and be attacked”: Kevin Spacey takes to social media about ‘Spacey Unmasked’ doc
May 3, 2024
Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty ImagesKevin Spacey has gone on the attack regarding a new U.K. documentary…
In Brief: Paul Walter Hauser joins Marvel Studios’ ‘Fantastic Four’, and more
May 3, 2024
Twilight actress Kristen Stewart and Dune's Oscar Isaac have been tapped to lead the cast of the…
Drew Barrymore to front new ‘Hollywood Squares’ for CBS
May 3, 2024
CBSAs part of its announcement of its 2024-25 season, CBS announced it has tapped Drew Barrymore to…
Dua Lipa releases ‘Radical Optimism,’ says she’s working on “putting the meaning back into pop”
May 3, 2024
Tyrone LebonThe spring of the pop girlies continues. Dua Lipa has released her long-awaited third…