Oscar Isaac Open To Star Wars Return As Poe Dameron Under One Condition

Oscar Isaac has revealed what it would take for him to return to Star Wars as Poe Dameron. Although the Star Wars sequel trilogy proved divisive, there’s no denying that it introduced compelling new characters for the next generation, some of whom never got the chance to live up to their full potential.

One such character is Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron, a fiercely talented Resistance pilot with a mysterious past and a close relationship with General Leia Organa. After Poe’s misguided mutiny in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the character was somewhat sidelined in the Star Wars sequel trilogy’s final installment, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, as the focus shifted to Rey, Kylo Ren, and Palpatine’s return.

Despite having previously distanced himself from any talk of future Star Wars appearances – at the Venice Film Festival in 2021, Isaac said he was “desperate to do a character study” after being in “green screen spaceland for quite a few years” (via IndieWire) – Isaac’s tune has since changed. In a recent interview with Variety, the Frankenstein actor was asked if he’d ever consider returning as Poe Dameron:

“When asked if he’d return as Poe Dameron, he borrows a line from The Simpsons in a high-pitched child’s voice: ‘I’m a Star Wars.’ Then he says, ‘Yeah, I’d be a Star Wars again if there was something good to do with that.'”

This isn’t the first time Isaac has mentioned a willingness to return to the galaxy far, far away. In 2022, Isaac told SiriusXM, “If there was a great story and a great director and [Lucasfilm president] Kathy [Kennedy] came to me and was like, ‘I have this great idea,’ then I’m so open to it.”

The sequel trilogy’s story may be over, but the era has undoubtedly influenced Star Wars’ upcoming projects. Lucasfilm currently has two movies in development set after the Star Wars sequel trilogy. These are Star Wars: Starfighter, with Ryan Gosling, set five years after The Rise of Skywalker, and Daisy Ridley’s return in the tentatively titled Star Wars: New Jedi Order, set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker.

Both films are exploring uncharted territory for Star Wars, which could create the “good” or “great story” that Isaac is looking for. There’s no reason Poe Dameron couldn’t show up in either of these two films. Details are being kept under wraps, so anything is still possible.

Our Take On Poe Dameron’s Potential Star Wars Return

Though Poe’s friendship with Rey means a cameo role in New Jedi Order is likely, the best place for him to potentially return is Star Wars: Starfighter. A standalone Star Wars movie directed by Shawn Levy, the Starfighter title suggests it will focus on the galaxy’s pilots more than any other Star Wars movie or show so far.

While it has been confirmed that Starfighter will feature mostly new faces, including Ryan Gosling’s yet-to-be-named character, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy also previously teased that sequel trilogy characters may appear (via Deadline). By the end of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Poe Dameron is in his prime, having accomplished some incredible feats as a Resistance pilot. Who better to introduce a new generation of Star Wars pilots?