Although John Boyega and Oscar Isaac dampened fans' hopes for a Finn/Poe romance in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, director/co-writer J.J. Abrams insisted the film will still include LGBT representation.
Speaking with Variety, Abrams remarked that he viewed the Finn/Poe relationship as "a far deeper one than a romantic one." However, he added that he wanted a cast that "looked more the way the world looks than not... And in the case of the LGBT community, it was important to me that people who go to see this movie feel that they're being represented in the film."
When pressed on the issue, Abrams coyly added, "I will say I'm giving away nothing about what happens in the movie. But I did just say what I just said." However, he stopped short of revealing if the hypothetical queer character in The Rise of Skywalker would be a new creation or a preexisting inhabitant of the Star Wars universe.
Of course, fans have long speculated that the Star Wars sequel trilogy has been building up a romance between the Finn and Poe Dameron, something even encouraged by Boyega and Isaac. The budding love has even taken on a life of its own in the fan community as both "FinnPoe" and "Stormpilot".
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Matt Smith, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film arrives on Dec. 20.