Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker won't give Finn and Poe a romantic relationship

Star Wars actors Oscar Isaac and John Boyega have revealed that their characters won't be space boyfriends in The Rise of Skywalker.

Fans have been shipping Resistance pilot Poe Dameron and Stormtrooper-turned-rebel Finn since the pair were introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Having glimpsed the friends side-by-side in many of the upcoming film's trailers, online theorists suggested/hoped that Disney was hinting the two would become more than friends in Episode IX.

But it turns out, Poe and Finn merely put the 'pal' in palpable chemistry.

Related: Star Wars' Daisy Ridley says some people are "never" going to like Rise of Skywalker

"Personally, I kind of hoped and wished that maybe that would've been taken further in the other films, but I don't have control," Isaac recently told Variety during the film's press junket.

"It seemed like a natural progression but sadly enough, it's a time when people are too afraid, I think, of... I don't know what. If they'd have been boyfriends, that would have been fun."

Boyega spoke about the friendship further, adding: "They've always had a quite loving and open relationship in which it wouldn't be too weird if it went beyond it. But at the same time, they are just platonic at the moment."

Director JJ Abrams went on to say: "That relationship to me is a far deeper one than a romantic one.

"It is a deep bond that these two have, not just because of the trial by fire in which they met, but also because of their willingness to be as intimate as they are, as afraid as they are, as unsure as they are, and still be bold, and still be daring and brave."

While 'Stormpilot' or 'FinnPoe' won't be canon, JJ Abrams went on to hint that The Rise of Skywalker will feature some kind of queer representation – something that has been notably scarce throughout the entire franchise.

"In the case of the LGBTQ community, it was important to me that people who go to see this movie feel that they're being represented in the film," he declared.

"I will say I'm giving away nothing about what happens in the movie, but I did just say what I just said."

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has a release date of Thursday, December 19 in the UK and Friday, December 20 in the US.

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