John Boyega has no plans to be a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe any time soon. In a recent interview with Men's Health, the Star Wars actor placed his attention on telling stories outside the traditional blockbuster. This year, Boyega will fulfill a different type of hero through his appearances in Breaking, The Woman King, and They Cloned Tyrone, all three of which have yet to be officially released.
Boyega is one of many actors to be involuntarily sucked into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the announcement of projects well into the future, many fans have taken it upon themselves to cast actors in roles they believe would either serve the role well or at least physically embody the comic book characters. As flattering as it may be for some, Boyega currently has no plans to become a Marvel hero.
Boyega's versatility as an actor has landed him in the spotlight of various franchises like Star Wars and has grown to include rumors that he has joined the expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. In his interview with Men's Health, Boyega dispels any current involvement with the superhero franchise. "That's not in the vision for me right now," Boyega said. "I want to do nuanced things... I want to donate my services to original indie films that come with new, fresh ideas, because I know it's real hard to top Iron Man in that universe."
Boyega's focus on indie projects is not something that came out of nowhere. Femi Oguns, Boyega's agent and former drama teacher, recalls the star power he has always known Boyega to have. “It was very evident that he was somebody that had a maturity at a very young age but also had a wonderful openness to the craft," Oguns said. "There’s a truth that he brings to everything he does.” Boyega's upcoming role in The Woman King is an honest, personal role that allowed Boyega to channel his father's heritage.
Most indie films allow actors to explore truths that blockbusters often don't devote the time to. Oguns recalls that Boyega never wanted to fit into any box. Instead, he says Boyega "wants to be the outline of the box." The roles Boyega will add to his resume this year will do just that. Boyega will first appear in Breaking, a true story of Brian Brown-Easley and the robbery of a Wells Fargo bank in 2017. The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year and Boyega's leading performance has already received vast acclaim. He will star in the film alongside the late Michael K. Williams in his final film role.
Boyega's final role of 2022 is in Juel Taylor's They Cloned Tyrone, where he will appear alongside Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris, who have both appeared in the MCU. In They Cloned Tyrone, Boyega will play a number of clones in the film ranging from 28 to 78 years old. This range of films Boyega will star in throughout the final stint of 2022 doesn't include any superhero films or secret castings. Down the road, Boyega may become open to joining a larger franchise, following a similar path to Robert Pattinson. For now, Boyega is choosing to tell the stories of a few real-life heroes.
Breaking releases on August 26, 2022. The Woman King releases on September 16, 2022. They Cloned Tyrone is coming soon to Netflix.
Source: Men's Health