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''The Boys'' is an American
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
television series developed by
Eric Kripke Eric Kripke (born 1974) is an American writer and television producer. He came to prominence as the creator of the fantasy drama series ''Supernatural'' (2005–2020) which aired on The CW. He served as the showrunner during the first five seasons ...
for
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
. Based on the comic book of the same name by
Garth Ennis Garth Ennis (born January 16, 1970) is a Northern Irish–American comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series ''Preacher'' with artist Steve Dillon, his nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise, and '' The Boys'' with artist Dari ...
and
Darick Robertson Darick W. Robertson is an American artist best known for his work as a comic book illustrator on series he co-created, notably ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002) and '' The Boys'' (2006–2012; 2020). Robertson has illustrated hundreds of comic ...
, it follows the eponymous team of vigilantes as they combat superpowered individuals who abuse their abilities. The series features an ensemble cast that includes
Karl Urban Karl-Heinz Urban (born 7 June 1972) is a New Zealand actor. His career began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as '' Xena: Warrior Princess''. His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film '' Ghost Ship''. Since ...
,
Jack Quaid Jack Henry Quaid (born April 24, 1992) is an American actor. He made his acting debut with a minor role in the dystopian film '' The Hunger Games'' (2012) before his breakout role as vigilante Hughie Campbell in the Amazon Prime Video superhero s ...
,
Antony Starr Antony Starr (born 25 October 1975) is a New Zealand actor, known for his television roles. He played the dual roles of Jethro and Van West on '' Outrageous Fortune'' (2005–10), Lucas Hood on ''Banshee'' (2013–16), and Homelander on '' The Bo ...
, Erin Moriarty,
Dominique McElligott Dominique McElligott (born March 5, 1986) is an Irish actress. She has appeared as a series regular on ''Raw'' (2008), ''Hell on Wheels'' (2011–2012), ''The Astronaut Wives Club'' (2015), ''House of Cards'' (2016–2017), ''The Last Tycoon'' (2 ...
,
Jessie T. Usher Jessie T. Usher Jr. (born February 29, 1992) is an American actor. Known for playing Lyle on the Cartoon Network series '' Level Up'', Cam Calloway on the Starz television series ''Survivor's Remorse'', and Reggie Franklin / A-Train in the Am ...
,
Chace Crawford Christopher Chace Crawford (born July 18, 1985) is an American actor. He is known for his television portrayals of Nate Archibald on The CW's teen drama series ''Gossip Girl'' (2007–2012), and of The Deep in Amazon Prime Video original series ...
,
Laz Alonso Laz or LAZ may refer to: People * Laz people of the Black Sea area **Laz language First name * Laz Alonso (born 1975), American actor * Laz Barrera (1924–1991), Cuban-born American racehorse trainer * Laz-D (born 1982), American rapper *Laz Dí ...
,
Tomer Capone Tomer Capone (also Kapon or Kappon or Capon, he, תומר קאפון; born July 15, 1985) is an Israeli actor. He has starred in popular Israeli exported television such as ''Hostages'' and the political thriller television series '' Fauda''. ...
,
Karen Fukuhara is an American actress, best known for her roles as Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana in the 2016 superhero film '' Suicide Squad'' and as Kimiko Miyashira/The Female in the Amazon Prime original series '' The Boys'' (2019–present). Fukuhara is also ...
, and
Nathan Mitchell Nathan Mitchell is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Earving / Black Noir in the Amazon Prime Video series '' The Boys'', based on the comic book series of the same name. Mitchell debuted in 2007 with a recurring role on the se ...
. Originally intended to be a
feature-length film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
, the comic book series adaptation began its development in 2008 with Adam McKay set to direct the film. Due to creative differences between the crew and the studios that picked up the film, the project was left in
development hell Development hell, development purgatory, and development limbo are media and software industry jargon for a project, concept, or idea that remains in development for an especially long time, often moving between different crews, scripts, game engi ...
. The development for the project was revived in 2016 by
Cinemax Cinemax is an American pay television, cable, and satellite television network owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. Developed as a companion "maxi-pay" service complementing the offerings shown on parent net ...
, which announced that it would be reworked as a television series. Kripke was recruited to be the showrunner of the series, while
Seth Rogen Seth Aaron Rogen (; born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and filmmaker. Originally a stand-up comedian in Vancouver, he moved to Los Angeles for a part in Judd Apatow's series ''Freaks and Geeks'', and then got a part on ...
and
Evan Goldberg Evan D. Goldberg (born September 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American filmmaker and comedian. He has collaborated with his childhood friend Seth Rogen on the films '' Superbad'', ''Pineapple Express'', ''This Is the End'', '' The Interview'', and '' ...
would be the executive producers.
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
obtained the rights for the series in November 2017, with production starting in May 2018 in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. ''The Boys'' premiered its first season of eight episodes on July 26, 2019. A second season premiered on September 4, 2020, with the third season following on June 3, 2022. In June 2022, the series was renewed for a fourth season. As part of a
shared universe A shared universe or shared world is a fictional universe from a set of creative works where more than one writer (or other artist) independently contributes a work that can stand alone but fits into the joint development of the storyline, chara ...
, a spin-off web series, ''
Seven on 7 ''Vought News Network: Seven on 7 with Cameron Coleman'' (also known as ''Seven on 7 on VNN ought News Network', or simply ''Seven on 7'') is an American faux current affairs digital series serving as the center of several viral marketing cam ...
'', premiered in July 2021, an
animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
, '' Diabolical'', premiered in March 2022, and a second live-action television series, ''
Gen V ''Gen V'' (also known as ''The Boys: Gen V'') is an upcoming American superhero streaming television series, developed by Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, serving as a spin-off of '' The Boys'' by Eric Kripke, and based on '' The Boys'' comic boo ...
'', was ordered in September 2020. The series has received positive reviews and praise for its writing, storyline, humor, and performances of the cast. The series was nominated for six
Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
, including Outstanding Drama Series in
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
.


Premise

''The Boys'' is set in a universe where superpowered individuals, called Supes, are recognized as heroes by the general public and work for a powerful corporation known as Vought International that markets and monetizes them. Outside their heroic personas, most are arrogant, selfish, and corrupt. The series primarily focuses on two groups: the Seven, Vought's premier superhero team, and the Boys, vigilantes looking to bring down Vought and its corrupt superheroes. The Boys are led by
Billy Butcher William J. "Billy" Butcher, or "Billy the Butcher", is a fictional character and antihero in the comic book and Amazon Prime series '' The Boys'', created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. He is the leader of The Boys, a group of CIA-sponsore ...
, who despises all Supes, and
the Seven "The Seven" is the 123rd episode of the NBC sitcom '' Seinfeld''. This was the 13th episode for the seventh season, originally airing on February 1, 1996. In this episode, Elaine and Kramer turn to Newman to resolve a dispute over which of the ...
are led by the egotistical and unstable
Homelander The Homelander (John Gillman) is a Character (arts), character and one of the main antagonists of the comic book series ''The Boys (comics), The Boys'' and the media franchise The Boys (franchise), of the same name, created by Garth Ennis and Da ...
. At the start of the series, the Boys are joined by
Hughie Campbell Hugh "Wee Hughie" Campbell is a fictional character, and the main protagonist of the comic book series '' The Boys'', created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson and visually designed after Simon Pegg. He is a member of The Boys, a group of vigil ...
after a superhero accidentally kills his girlfriend, and the Seven are joined by
Annie January Rebecca Anne "Annie" January is a fictional superheroine in the comic book series '' The Boys'', created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. As Starlight, she is a member of the Seven, a group of superheroes funded by Vought-American ( Vought I ...
, a young and hopeful heroine forced to face the truth about those she admires. Other members of the Seven include the disillusioned
Queen Maeve Medb (), later spelled Meadhbh (), Méibh () and Méabh (), and often anglicised as Maeve ( ), is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had seve ...
, the drug-addicted A-Train, the insecure Deep, the mysterious Black Noir, and the
white supremacist White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other Race (human classification), races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any Power (social and polit ...
Stormfront. The Boys are rounded out by tactical planner Mother's "MM" Milk, weapons specialist Frenchie, and superpowered test subject Kimiko. Overseeing the Seven is Vought executive Madelyn Stillwell, who is later succeeded by publicist Ashley Barrett. Other superpowered individuals include Victoria Neuman, a congresswoman who publicly opposes Vought while secretly assisting the corporation, and Soldier Boy, Vought's original premier superhero.


Cast and characters

*
Karl Urban Karl-Heinz Urban (born 7 June 1972) is a New Zealand actor. His career began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as '' Xena: Warrior Princess''. His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film '' Ghost Ship''. Since ...
as William "Billy" Butcher – The leader of the Boys and a former SAS operative who distrusts all Supes. He has a particular hatred towards Homelander, who he believes is responsible for the disappearance of his wife. Luca Villacis and Josh Zaharia portray younger versions of the character. *
Jack Quaid Jack Henry Quaid (born April 24, 1992) is an American actor. He made his acting debut with a minor role in the dystopian film '' The Hunger Games'' (2012) before his breakout role as vigilante Hughie Campbell in the Amazon Prime Video superhero s ...
as Hugh "Hughie" Campbell Jr. – A civilian tech specialist who joins the Boys after his girlfriend Robin is killed by A-Train. *
Antony Starr Antony Starr (born 25 October 1975) is a New Zealand actor, known for his television roles. He played the dual roles of Jethro and Van West on '' Outrageous Fortune'' (2005–10), Lucas Hood on ''Banshee'' (2013–16), and Homelander on '' The Bo ...
as John / Homelander – The extremely powerful leader of the Seven. Beneath his public image as a noble hero, he is egotistical, megalomaniacal, and cares little about the well-being of those he professes to protect. * Erin Moriarty as Annie January / Starlight – A superhero with light-based powers and a member of the Seven. One of the few heroes who values protecting society, she questions her loyalty to the Seven after learning of their true character. Maya Misaljevic portrays the young Starlight. *
Dominique McElligott Dominique McElligott (born March 5, 1986) is an Irish actress. She has appeared as a series regular on ''Raw'' (2008), ''Hell on Wheels'' (2011–2012), ''The Astronaut Wives Club'' (2015), ''House of Cards'' (2016–2017), ''The Last Tycoon'' (2 ...
as Maggie Shaw / Queen Maeve (seasons 1–3) – A veteran member of the Seven with superhuman strength and durability. Once desiring to protect innocent lives, she has become disillusioned and suffers from burnout. *
Jessie T. Usher Jessie T. Usher Jr. (born February 29, 1992) is an American actor. Known for playing Lyle on the Cartoon Network series '' Level Up'', Cam Calloway on the Starz television series ''Survivor's Remorse'', and Reggie Franklin / A-Train in the Am ...
as Reggie Franklin / A-Train – A speedster member of the Seven. A-Train is obsessed with maintaining his status as the fastest speedster in the world, resulting in him becoming addicted to Compound V. *
Laz Alonso Laz or LAZ may refer to: People * Laz people of the Black Sea area **Laz language First name * Laz Alonso (born 1975), American actor * Laz Barrera (1924–1991), Cuban-born American racehorse trainer * Laz-D (born 1982), American rapper *Laz Dí ...
as Marvin T. "Mother's" Milk / M.M. – A member of the Boys who is responsible for organizing and planning their operations. Formerly a medic in the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
, he joined the Boys after Soldier Boy caused his grandfather's death and his attorney father worked himself to death attempting to bring Vought down. Elias Leon Leacock portrays the young M.M. *
Chace Crawford Christopher Chace Crawford (born July 18, 1985) is an American actor. He is known for his television portrayals of Nate Archibald on The CW's teen drama series ''Gossip Girl'' (2007–2012), and of The Deep in Amazon Prime Video original series ...
as Kevin Moskowitz / The Deep – A member of the Seven who possesses the ability to communicate with aquatic life and breathe underwater. He is looked down upon by the other members of the Seven due to his status as the group's token aquatic hero.
Patton Oswalt Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is known as Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and for narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–present) as ...
voices the Deep's gills. *
Tomer Capone Tomer Capone (also Kapon or Kappon or Capon, he, תומר קאפון; born July 15, 1985) is an Israeli actor. He has starred in popular Israeli exported television such as ''Hostages'' and the political thriller television series '' Fauda''. ...
as Serge / Frenchie – A member of the Boys and an international arms trafficker skilled in munitions, ordnance, infiltration, and chemistry. Coerced into joining the group to protect his criminal friends, he seeks redemption for his past crimes by fighting against Vought. *
Karen Fukuhara is an American actress, best known for her roles as Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana in the 2016 superhero film '' Suicide Squad'' and as Kimiko Miyashira/The Female in the Amazon Prime original series '' The Boys'' (2019–present). Fukuhara is also ...
as Kimiko Miyashiro / The Female – A mute member of the Boys with super strength and regenerative healing. Involuntarily injected with Compound V as part of a scheme to create superpowered terrorists, she joins the Boys after they rescue her. *
Nathan Mitchell Nathan Mitchell is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Earving / Black Noir in the Amazon Prime Video series '' The Boys'', based on the comic book series of the same name. Mitchell debuted in 2007 with a recurring role on the se ...
as Earving / Black Noir – A mysterious member of the Seven who possesses superhuman strength and agility. Formerly a member of Payback, he was badly disfigured during his team's mutiny against Soldier Boy, rendering him mute and forcing him to conceal his physical appearance behind a dark costume. Fritzy-Klevans Destine portrays the young Black Noir in the third season. Although the character is killed by Homelander in the third season, Mitchell will return in the fourth season as a new Black Noir. *
Elisabeth Shue Elisabeth Judson Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the films ''The Karate Kid'' (1984), '' Adventures in Babysitting'' (1987), ''Cocktail'' (1988), '' Back to the Future Part II'' (1989), ''B ...
as Madelyn Stillwell (season 1; guest season 2) – A charismatic, scheming vice president at Vought International responsible for managing the superheroes. *
Colby Minifie Colby Minifie (born January 31, 1992) is an American actress. She began acting at the age of eleven and was a YoungArts scholar; she graduated from the City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the public univ ...
as Ashley Barrett (season 2–present; recurring season 1) – A publicist for Vought International who later becomes its president. *
Aya Cash Aya Rachel Cash is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Gretchen Cutler in the FX/FXX dark comedy series ''You're the Worst'' (2014–2019), as Stormfront in the Amazon Prime Video superhero drama series '' The Boys'' (2020–2 ...
as Klara Risinger / Liberty / Stormfront (season 2; guest season 3) – The first successful Compound V subject and member of the Seven with
plasma Plasma or plasm may refer to: Science * Plasma (physics), one of the four fundamental states of matter * Plasma (mineral), a green translucent silica mineral * Quark–gluon plasma, a state of matter in quantum chromodynamics Biology * Blood pla ...
-based abilities. Once a member of the
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
, she holds bigoted views towards minorities and non-Supes. *
Claudia Doumit Claudia Doumit is an Australian actress. She portrayed Jiya Marri in the NBC series '' Timeless'' and is best known for her portrayal of Farah Karim from '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare'' and Victoria Neuman from the Amazon Prime Video original ...
as Victoria "Vic" Neuman / Nadia (season 3–present; recurring season 2) – A congresswoman who publicly opposes Vought, but is secretly a superpowered assassin with the ability to psychically cause spontaneous combustion. Elisa Paszt portrays the young Nadia. *
Jensen Ackles Jensen Ross Ackles (born March 1, 1978) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Dean Winchester in The WB/The CW, CW dark fantasy drama series ''Supernatural (American TV series), Supernatural'' (2005–2020) and appearing in ...
as Ben / Soldier Boy (season 3–present) – The original premier superhero and leader of Payback. Thought to have been killed during the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
, he was secretly betrayed by his team and captured by the Soviets in order for Vought to replace him with Homelander, his biological son.


Episodes


Season 1 (2019)


Season 2 (2020)


Season 3 (2022)


Production


Development

Between 2008 and 2016, a film adaptation of '' The Boys'' had been in various stages of development at both
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
and
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. Adam McKay expressed interest in directing, and
Matt Manfredi Matt Manfredi is an American screenwriter. Early life and education Manfredi is from Palos Verdes, California,Phil Hay were in charge of the screenplay. McKay expressed interest in casting
Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor. He was born in New Zealand, spent ten years of his childhood in Australia, and moved there permanently at age twenty one. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maxi ...
as Billy Butcher and
Simon Pegg Simon John Pegg (né Beckingham; born 14 February 1970) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He came to prominence in the UK as the co-creator of the Channel 4 sitcom ''Spaced'' (1999–2001), directed by Edgar Wright. H ...
as Hughie, as well as shooting the film in 3D. On April 6, 2016, it was announced that
Cinemax Cinemax is an American pay television, cable, and satellite television network owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. Developed as a companion "maxi-pay" service complementing the offerings shown on parent net ...
was developing a television series adaptation of the comic book. The production was being developed by
Eric Kripke Eric Kripke (born 1974) is an American writer and television producer. He came to prominence as the creator of the fantasy drama series ''Supernatural'' (2005–2020) which aired on The CW. He served as the showrunner during the first five seasons ...
,
Evan Goldberg Evan D. Goldberg (born September 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American filmmaker and comedian. He has collaborated with his childhood friend Seth Rogen on the films '' Superbad'', ''Pineapple Express'', ''This Is the End'', '' The Interview'', and '' ...
, and
Seth Rogen Seth Aaron Rogen (; born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and filmmaker. Originally a stand-up comedian in Vancouver, he moved to Los Angeles for a part in Judd Apatow's series ''Freaks and Geeks'', and then got a part on ...
. Kripke was set to write the series while Goldberg and Rogen were set to direct. Executive producers were reported to include Kripke, Goldberg, Rogen,
Neal H. Moritz Neal H. Moritz (born June 6, 1959) is an American film producer and founder of Original Film. He has produced over 70 major motion pictures which have grossed a total of over $11 billion worldwide as of 2021. He is best known for the ''Fast & Fu ...
, Pavun Shetty, Ori Marmur, James Weaver, Ken Levin, and Jason Netter.
Garth Ennis Garth Ennis (born January 16, 1970) is a Northern Irish–American comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series ''Preacher'' with artist Steve Dillon, his nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise, and '' The Boys'' with artist Dari ...
and
Darick Robertson Darick W. Robertson is an American artist best known for his work as a comic book illustrator on series he co-created, notably ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002) and '' The Boys'' (2006–2012; 2020). Robertson has illustrated hundreds of comic ...
were set as co-executive producers. Production companies involved with the series included
Point Grey Pictures Point Grey (PGP) is an American independent film and television production company founded in 2011 by Canadian comedians and filmmakers, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. History Founded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in February 12, 2011, the com ...
,
Original Film Original Film is an American film and television production company founded by Neal H. Moritz. Notable films the company has produced include the ''Fast & Furious'' franchise. History Original Film was started out in the early 1990s by Neal H ...
, and
Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Entertainm ...
. On November 8, 2017, it was announced that Amazon had given the production a series order for a first season which consisted of eight episodes. The series had reportedly been in development at Amazon for a number of months preceding the series order announcement. It was also reported that the previously announced creative team was still attached to the series. Kripke wanted to retain a sense of reality to the show, and keep the writers disciplined, so he decided "Anything that comes out of this drug is viable, and anything that doesn't we're not allowed to do". He did not want to fall into the overused convention of killing off female characters to motivate the heroes and also saw an opportunity to surprise readers of the comics by changing the story of Butcher's wife Becky. On April 30, 2018, it was announced that
Dan Trachtenberg Dan Trachtenberg (born May 11, 1981) is an American filmmaker and podcast host.Rachel Kurland, Scare Tactics Pay off for Cheltenham’s Dan Trachtenberg'. The Jewish Exponent. March 14, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2017. He is best known for direct ...
would direct the series' first episode. He replaced Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Ahead of the series premiere, on July 19, 2019, at the 2019
San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
, it was announced that Amazon had renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on September 4, 2020, and that it would consist of eight episodes, like the previous season. Kripke was already starting to write the scripts just before the series premiere revealing that it took "a lot of tiptoeing around expectations for the hit's sophomore outing". The eight scripts for the second season were completed by November 2019. On July 23, 2020, Amazon announced that the series was being renewed for a third season at the aftershow hosted by
Aisha Tyler Aisha Nilaja Tyler (born September 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, director, and talk show host. She is known for playing Andrea Marino in the first season of ''Ghost Whisperer'', Tara Lewis (Criminal Minds), Dr. Tara Lewis in ''Crimi ...
for the 2020 San Diego Comic-Con@Home. The third season began filming in early 2021 with a then-unknown release date. On October 30, 2020, Kripke revealed that the third season would adapt the miniseries comic book ''
Herogasm ''Herogasm'' is a six-issue comic book limited series by Garth Ennis, John McCrea and Keith Burns. Originally published as a spin-off of ''The Boys'', set between issues #30 and #31, ''Herogasm'' was collected in trade paperback in November 200 ...
'', which is centered around superhero orgy festivals. It would be adapted for the season's sixth episode, which would be named "Herogasm" after the miniseries. Kripke stated that "Herogasm" had "the craziest dailies he adever seen" and "that people erenot ready to watch it". However, the part of the comic book story in which Soldier Boy is depicted as a superhero who has yearly sex with
Homelander The Homelander (John Gillman) is a Character (arts), character and one of the main antagonists of the comic book series ''The Boys (comics), The Boys'' and the media franchise The Boys (franchise), of the same name, created by Garth Ennis and Da ...
in an attempt to gain membership in
the Seven "The Seven" is the 123rd episode of the NBC sitcom '' Seinfeld''. This was the 13th episode for the seventh season, originally airing on February 1, 1996. In this episode, Elaine and Kramer turn to Newman to resolve a dispute over which of the ...
will not be used, and instead, Soldier Boy was depicted as the "Homelander before Homelander", a superhero from
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
brought out of
retirement Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...
. Kripke also revealed that instead of portraying Soldier Boy as innocent like he is depicted in the comics, he would be worse than Homelander. On June 10, 2022, Amazon renewed the series for a fourth season.


Casting

On December 18, 2017, it was announced that Erin Moriarty had been cast in the lead role of Annie January / Starlight. On January 17, 2018, it was reported that
Antony Starr Antony Starr (born 25 October 1975) is a New Zealand actor, known for his television roles. He played the dual roles of Jethro and Van West on '' Outrageous Fortune'' (2005–10), Lucas Hood on ''Banshee'' (2013–16), and Homelander on '' The Bo ...
,
Dominique McElligott Dominique McElligott (born March 5, 1986) is an Irish actress. She has appeared as a series regular on ''Raw'' (2008), ''Hell on Wheels'' (2011–2012), ''The Astronaut Wives Club'' (2015), ''House of Cards'' (2016–2017), ''The Last Tycoon'' (2 ...
,
Chace Crawford Christopher Chace Crawford (born July 18, 1985) is an American actor. He is known for his television portrayals of Nate Archibald on The CW's teen drama series ''Gossip Girl'' (2007–2012), and of The Deep in Amazon Prime Video original series ...
,
Jessie Usher Jessie T. Usher Jr. (born February 29, 1992) is an American actor. Known for playing Lyle on the Cartoon Network series '' Level Up'', Cam Calloway on the Starz television series ''Survivor's Remorse'', and Reggie Franklin / A-Train in the Amazo ...
, and Nathan Mitchell had joined the main cast. In March 2018, it was announced that
Laz Alonso Laz or LAZ may refer to: People * Laz people of the Black Sea area **Laz language First name * Laz Alonso (born 1975), American actor * Laz Barrera (1924–1991), Cuban-born American racehorse trainer * Laz-D (born 1982), American rapper *Laz Dí ...
,
Jack Quaid Jack Henry Quaid (born April 24, 1992) is an American actor. He made his acting debut with a minor role in the dystopian film '' The Hunger Games'' (2012) before his breakout role as vigilante Hughie Campbell in the Amazon Prime Video superhero s ...
, and
Karen Fukuhara is an American actress, best known for her roles as Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana in the 2016 superhero film '' Suicide Squad'' and as Kimiko Miyashira/The Female in the Amazon Prime original series '' The Boys'' (2019–present). Fukuhara is also ...
had been cast in series regular roles. On April 5, 2018, it was reported that
Karl Urban Karl-Heinz Urban (born 7 June 1972) is a New Zealand actor. His career began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as '' Xena: Warrior Princess''. His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film '' Ghost Ship''. Since ...
had been cast in the series' lead role of Billy Butcher. On May 16, 2018, it was announced that
Elisabeth Shue Elisabeth Judson Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the films ''The Karate Kid'' (1984), '' Adventures in Babysitting'' (1987), ''Cocktail'' (1988), '' Back to the Future Part II'' (1989), ''B ...
had been cast in the series regular role of Madelyn Stillwell. On June 25, 2018, it was reported that
Tomer Kapon Tomer Capone (also Kapon or Kappon or Capon, he, תומר קאפון; born July 15, 1985) is an Israeli actor. He has starred in popular Israeli exported television such as ''Hostages'' and the political thriller television series ''Fauda''. In ...
had joined the main cast in the role of Frenchie. On August 30, 2018, it was announced that
Jennifer Esposito Jennifer Esposito is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the feature films '' Summer of Sam'' (1999), ''Don't Say a Word'' (2001), ''Welcome to Collinwood'' (2002), as well as ''Crash'' and ''Taxi'' (both 2004). She has also appe ...
had been cast in the recurring role of CIA Agent Susan Raynor. On October 5, 2018, it was announced during the annual
New York Comic Con The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. History The New York Comic Con is a f ...
that
Simon Pegg Simon John Pegg (né Beckingham; born 14 February 1970) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He came to prominence in the UK as the co-creator of the Channel 4 sitcom ''Spaced'' (1999–2001), directed by Edgar Wright. H ...
had been cast in the role of Hughie's father. According to the artist Robertson, Hughie was drawn in the comics to resemble Pegg after he saw Pegg in the sitcom ''
Spaced ''Spaced'' is a British television sitcom created, written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright, about the (comedic and sometimes farcical and action-packed) misadventures of Daisy Steiner and Tim Bi ...
'', but Pegg thought he was too old to play the role of Hughie in the TV series. On September 5, 2019,
Goran Višnjić Goran Višnjić (; born 9 September 1972) is a Croatian actor who has appeared in American and British films and television productions. He is best known in the United States for his roles as Dr. Luka Kovač in '' ER'' and Garcia Flynn in ''Time ...
and
Claudia Doumit Claudia Doumit is an Australian actress. She portrayed Jiya Marri in the NBC series '' Timeless'' and is best known for her portrayal of Farah Karim from '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare'' and Victoria Neuman from the Amazon Prime Video original ...
were cast in recurring roles for the second season. A month later,
Patton Oswalt Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is known as Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and for narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–present) as ...
was announced in an unspecified role.
Aya Cash Aya Rachel Cash is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Gretchen Cutler in the FX/FXX dark comedy series ''You're the Worst'' (2014–2019), as Stormfront in the Amazon Prime Video superhero drama series '' The Boys'' (2020–2 ...
was confirmed to be portraying superhero Stormfront in March 2020 following contract negotiations that began when the second season was announced. On August 10, 2020, it was reported that
Shawn Ashmore Shawn Robert Ashmore (born October 7, 1979) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his roles as Bobby Drake / Iceman in the ''X-Men'' film series, Jake Berenson in the television series ''Animorphs'', Agent Mike Weston in the television drama se ...
was cast as Lamplighter for the second season. A week later,
Jensen Ackles Jensen Ross Ackles (born March 1, 1978) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Dean Winchester in The WB/The CW, CW dark fantasy drama series ''Supernatural (American TV series), Supernatural'' (2005–2020) and appearing in ...
joined the cast for the third season as
Soldier Boy Soldier Boy is the name of three superhero characters in the comic book series ''Herogasm'' and '' The Boys'', created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The first character introduced (the second successor to the mantle, made by Vought along w ...
. On October 30, 2020,
Claudia Doumit Claudia Doumit is an Australian actress. She portrayed Jiya Marri in the NBC series '' Timeless'' and is best known for her portrayal of Farah Karim from '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare'' and Victoria Neuman from the Amazon Prime Video original ...
and
Colby Minifie Colby Minifie (born January 31, 1992) is an American actress. She began acting at the age of eleven and was a YoungArts scholar; she graduated from the City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the public univ ...
were promoted to series regulars for the third season. On March 26, 2021,
Katia Winter Katia Winter (born 13 October 1983) is a Swedish actress. She is best known for her roles as Nadia in the Showtime series ''Dexter'' (2012), Katrina Crane in the Fox series '' Sleepy Hollow'' (2013–15), Freydís Eiríksdóttir in The CW seri ...
joined the cast in the recurring role of Little Nina for the third season. On June 23, 2021, Miles Gaston Villanueva,
Sean Patrick Flanery Sean Patrick Flanery (born October 11, 1965) is an American actor, author, and martial artist. He is known for playing Connor MacManus in ''The Boondock Saints'' (1999) and its sequel ''The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day'' (2009), Greg Still ...
, and
Nick Wechsler Nick Wechsler may also refer to: * Nick Wechsler (actor) (born 1978), American actor * Nick Wechsler (film producer) (born 1949), American film producer {{Hndis, Wechsler, Nick ...
were cast as Supersonic, Gunpowder, and Blue Hawk, respectively, for the third season in undisclosed capacities. Two days later,
Laurie Holden Heather Laurie Holden (born December 17, 1969) is a Canadian-American actress, producer, and human rights activist, known for her roles as Marita Covarrubias in ''The X-Files'' (1996–2002), Adele Stanton in ''The Majestic (film), The Majestic' ...
joined the cast as Crimson Countess in a recurring role for the third season. On October 5, 2021, Frances Turner,
Kristin Booth Kristin Booth (born August 28, 1974) is a Canadian actress, born in Kitchener, Ontario. She graduated with Honours BFA from Ryerson Theatre School at Ryerson Polytechnic University in 1997. Career Kristin Booth grew up in Kinkora, near the S ...
, and Jack Doolan joined the cast as Monique and twins Tessa and Tommy, the TNT Twins, in recurring roles for the third season. On July 8, 2022, it was announced
Nathan Mitchell Nathan Mitchell is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Earving / Black Noir in the Amazon Prime Video series '' The Boys'', based on the comic book series of the same name. Mitchell debuted in 2007 with a recurring role on the se ...
(who portrayed the masked Black Noir in the first three seasons), despite his character's death in the third season, would continue to portray a new replacement Black Noir in a main capacity in fourth season of the series. On August 1, 2022, it was reported that Cameron Crovetti had been promoted as a series regular while
Valorie Curry Valorie Mae Curry (born February 12, 1986) is an American actress. Her credits include ''Veronica Mars'' (2005–06), ''The Following'' (2013–14) and '' The Tick'' (2016–19).Gaede, Susan (December 1, 2010)"AEDE: Sonora grad cast in 'Twilight' ...
and Susan Heyward were cast as new series regulars for the fourth season. Later that month,
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Jeffrey Dean Morgan (born April 22, 1966) is an American actor of television and film, best known for playing the character Negan in the AMC horror drama series '' The Walking Dead'' (2016–2022), for which he has received critical acclaim. He ...
was cast in an undisclosed role. On December 1, 2022, Rosemarie DeWitt,
Rob Benedict Robert Patrick Benedict (born September 21, 1970) is an American stage, film and television actor and writer. His 25 year career includes more than 70 television and movie credits. He is best known for his work on the television series '' Supe ...
, and
Elliot Knight Elliot Knight is an English actor. He made his acting debut as the title character on the Sky1 action-adventure series '' Sinbad'' (2012). Continuing to work on television, Knight appeared as a series regular on the BBC One crime drama '' By Any ...
joined the cast in undisclosed capacities for the fourth season.


Filming

Despite the series taking place in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
like in the comics, it was confirmed the filming would be taking place at the city of
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
in Canada instead. In November 2017, it was announced that the filming for the series was slated to begin filming in 2018 with the hopes of releasing it on 2019. Though the series was mainly shot in Toronto, it was confirmed that additional filming would also be taking place in other cities of Canada such as
Mississauga Mississauga ( ), historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a popul ...
and
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
for a few other locations.
Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
for the first season took place from May 22 to September 25, 2018, in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario. The crew filmed at the
Roy Thomson Hall Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located downtown in the city's entertainment district, it is home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and the Toronto Defiant. Opened in 1982, its circ ...
in order to get the shots of the exterior of the Seven Tower, which was digitally created through CGI. The building's structure was digitally altered and extended to become the Seven Tower. For the interior of the tower, including some of the rooms and the modern lobby where the fictional company celebrates the corporate parties, the interior of Roy Thomson Hall was used. For
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
, the crew filmed in
Yonge–Dundas Square Yonge–Dundas Square, or Dundas Square, is a public square at the southeast corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Designed by Brown and Storey Architects, the square was conceiv ...
in Toronto and proceeded to digitally alter it. A-Train's race with Shockwave was filmed at
Tim Hortons Field Tim Hortons Field, nicknamed "The Donut Box", is a multi-purpose stadium in Hamilton, Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Built as a replacement for Ivor Wynne Stadium, Tim Hortons Field is primarily used for Canadian football and association fo ...
stadium located at
Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...
. Lower Bay Station was used for the subway scenes. The crew also filmed at several places of interest through the city such as the
Sherbourne Common Sherbourne Common,''http://urbantoronto.ca/database/projects/sherbourne-common-canadas-sugar-beach-and-waters-edge-promenade Map and the article from Urban Toronto website devoted to development and construction in the GTA and the leading source fo ...
and the Cathedral Church of St. James. Another shooting location was at the
Parkwood Estate The Parkwood Estate, located in Oshawa, Ontario, was the residence of Samuel McLaughlin (founder of General Motors of Canada) and was home to the McLaughlin family from 1917 until 1972. The residence was designed by Darling and Pearson, a not ...
in
Oshawa, Ontario Oshawa ( , also ; 2021 population 175,383; CMA 415,311) is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of Downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Gr ...
as the mansion of Dr. Jonah Vogelbaum. The filming for the second season took place from June 17 to November 13, 2019. For Translucent's funeral ceremony, the crew filmed at the
Meridian Arts Centre The Meridian Arts Centre is a performing arts venue in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened on October 16, 1993, as the North York Performing Arts Centre and was designed by Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler for music ...
which is located at the North York district in Toronto. The crew filmed at the Wet 'n' Wild Toronto Waterpark for the scene where the Deep is arrested, with some CGI modifications in order to recreate the series' fictional Splash Zone Sandusky park. For the scenes of the church of the Collective, filming took place at the Scottish Rite Club in
Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...
. To create the Sage Grove psychiatric hospital, the crew filmed at the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care complex which is located in the city of St. Thomas in Ontario. While filming for the second season a scene was planned to be shot at the
Mel Lastman Square Mel Lastman Square is a public square at North York Civic Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is named for then North York mayor (and later Toronto mayor) Mel Lastman. It was officially opened on June 16, 1989 by Norman Jewison and Mel Lastma ...
, however they were relocated by the
Toronto City Council Toronto City Council is the governing body of the municipal government of Toronto, Ontario. Meeting at Toronto City Hall, it comprises 25 city councillors and the mayor of Toronto. The current term began on November 15, 2022. Structure The cur ...
as the location was close to the place where the
Toronto van attack A domestic terrorist vehicle-ramming attack occurred on April 23, 2018, when a rented van was driven along Yonge Street through the North York City Centre business district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The driver, Alek Minassian, targeted ped ...
occurred on April 23, 2018. The filming for the third season took place from February 24 to September 10, 2021. The filming for the season was not affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, though several precautions were implemented to ensure the safety of the cast and crew. The new locations included for the season were
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Land ...
as Vought headquarters, Saint George Manor as the host studio of the fictional reality show ''American Hero'', and
Canada's Wonderland Canada's Wonderland, formerly known as Paramount Canada's Wonderland, is a amusement park located in Vaughan, Ontario, a municipality within the Greater Toronto Area. Opened in 1981 by the Taft Broadcasting Company and the Great-West Life As ...
Medieval Faire section as Vought Land theme park.


Music

Score albums have been released for each season of the series by
Madison Gate Records Madison Gate Records, Inc. is an American record label owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment that specializes in soundtracks and other recordings derived from films, television programs, and other entertainment media. History Madison Gate Records ...
.
Christopher Lennertz Christopher Joseph Lennertz (born January 2, 1972) is an American composer, songwriter, and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His musical scores appeared in ''Alvin and the Chipmunks'', '' Hop'', '' Think Like a Man'', and '' ...
served as composer of the show's score. During an interview at the 2019 Comic-Con, he stated that his work for ''The Boys'' was the "craziest thing" he has ever done, after collaborating with
Seth Rogen Seth Aaron Rogen (; born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and filmmaker. Originally a stand-up comedian in Vancouver, he moved to Los Angeles for a part in Judd Apatow's series ''Freaks and Geeks'', and then got a part on ...
for ''
Sausage Party ''Sausage Party'' is a 2016 adult computer-animated comedy film directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan and written by Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg from a story by Rogen, Goldberg, and Jonah Hill. The film follo ...
''. For the second season's soundtrack, Erin Moriarty provides her own vocals for the song "Never Truly Vanish", which was nominated for an
Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
. The music video for "Never Truly Vanish" was released on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
on June 4, 2021. Jessie T. Usher also performed an original song for the second season's soundtrack and on September 1, 2021, the music video for "Faster" was released on YouTube. The third season's soundtrack included two songs performed by Miles Gaston Villanueva, "You've Got a License to Drive (Me Crazy)" and "Rock My Kiss", while Laurie Holden performed "America's Son" which were released on June 3, 2022. On June 17, 2022, another video was released for a song performed by Holden, "Chimps Don't Cry".


Politics

The seasons explore issues like
white nationalism White nationalism is a type of racial nationalism or pan-nationalism which espouses the belief that white people are a raceHeidi Beirich and Kevin Hicks. "Chapter 7: White nationalism in America". In Perry, Barbara. ''Hate Crimes''. Greenwoo ...
,
white supremacy White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White su ...
,
systemic racism Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of racism that is embedded in the laws and regulations of a society or an organization. It manifests as discrimination in areas such as criminal justice, employment, housing, healt ...
, and
xenophobia Xenophobia () is the fear or dislike of anything which is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression of perceived conflict between an in-group and out-group and may manifest in suspicion by the one of the other's activities, a ...
and Kripke saw this fact as an opportunity to introduce Stormfront, a
racist Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
superhero who believes in
Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
. Kripke revealed that unlike the comics where Stormfront is male, the character would be gender swapped for the series with the intention of creating "Homelander’s worst nightmare that would be a strong woman who wasn't afraid of him and proceeded to steal his spotlight." The show contains
political satire Political satire is satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where Political discourse analysis, political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing ...
, and many consider the show to be a critique of
conservatism Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...
and
far-right Far-right politics, also referred to as the extreme right or right-wing extremism, are political beliefs and actions further to the right of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political right, particularly in terms of being ...
politics. The show has also made references to corporate corruption,
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...
,
sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...
, and
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...
. Various analogies have been made with content in the show to
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
, the MeToo movement, and comparing Homelander to
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
. Some of the showrunners have said that these analogies are intentional and made to cast a political message.


Release

On September 26, 2018, the official poster for the series was released. On October 5, 2018, in tandem with the series' panel at the annual
New York Comic Con The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. History The New York Comic Con is a f ...
, a teaser trailer for the series was released. On January 24, 2019, another teaser trailer was released via Seth Rogen's official Twitter account. The series premiered on July 26, 2019, after another teaser was released. Ahead of the premiere,
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
renewed ''The Boys'' for a second season, which premiered on September 4, 2020. On July 22, Slipknot released a new single called "
Solway Firth The Solway Firth ( gd, Tràchd Romhra) is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria (including the Solway Plain) and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in ...
" with an accompanying music video which featured clips and audio from the show. On June 26, 2020, it was announced that season two would debut on September 4, 2020, with the first 3 episodes available immediately and the rest debuting on a weekly basis. The second season's official trailer was released on August 4, 2020. On January 6, 2022, it was reported that the third season would premiere on June 3, 2022, with the first 3 episodes available immediately and the rest debuting on a weekly basis until the season finale on July 8. A companion
short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
titled ''Butcher'', set between the first and second season, was released on September 10, 2020, with
Karl Urban Karl-Heinz Urban (born 7 June 1972) is a New Zealand actor. His career began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as '' Xena: Warrior Princess''. His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film '' Ghost Ship''. Since ...
reprising his role as Billy Butcher. Characters from ''The Boys'' also appeared in an episode of '' Death Battle!'' sponsored by
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
, which was released on September 17, 2020.


Reception


Critical reception

On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the first season holds an approval rating of 85% based on 105 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The
website A website (also written as a web site) is a collection of web pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server. Examples of notable websites are Google Search, Google, Facebook, Amaz ...
's critical consensus reads, "Though viewers' mileage may vary, ''The Boys'' violent delights and willingness to engage in heavy, relevant themes are sure to please those looking for a new group of antiheroes to root for." On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, it has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on reviews from 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season holds an approval rating of 97% based on 105 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "''The Boys'' comes out swinging in a superb second season that digs deeper into its complicated characters and ups the action ante without pulling any of its socially critical punches." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season has a "Certified Fresh" approval rating of 98% based on 146 reviews, with an average rating of 8.05/10. The website's critical consensus states, "Managing to up the ante on what was already one of television's most audacious satires, ''The Boys third season is both bracingly visceral and wickedly smart." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


Audience viewership

In October 2019, Nielsen announced it had begun tracking viewership of Amazon Prime programs. It said ''The Boys'' had attracted 8million total viewers in its first 10 days of release, making it one of the most successful original programs on Amazon Prime. For the second season, the first three episodes drew a 7.2 percent share of streams relative to the top 100 most-watched TV shows on Reelgood within its opening weekend, beating the third season of ''
Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Prod ...
'' (5.8 percent) and ''
The Mandalorian ''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, beginning five years after the events of ''Retur ...
'' (4.4 percent). The show's audience increased 89 percent compared to the first season. Nielsen ratings revealed that 891million minutes of the show has been watched, placing it number three on the Nielsen list, just behind ''
Cobra Kai ''Cobra Kai'' is an American martial arts comedy-drama television series and a sequel to the original ''The Karate Kid'' films by Robert Mark Kamen. The series was created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, and is distributed ...
'' (2.17billion minutes) and ''
Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passage ...
'' (1.42billion minutes). It became the first non-Netflix show to appear on the Nielsen Top 10 Streaming Shows list.


Accolades

PETA Peta or PETA may refer to: Acronym * Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943 * People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization * People Eating Tasty Animals, an ...
awarded the third-season episode " Barbary Coast" its "Tech, Not Terror" award for using a CGI octopus.


Franchise


Spin-offs


''The Boys Presents: Diabolical''

On December 5, 2021, at the Brazil Comic-Con, Prime Video announced that ''The Boys Presents: Diabolical'', an animated anthology series, had been given an eight-episode series order. On January 18, 2022, it was announced that the series would premiere on March 4, 2022.


''Gen V''

On September 24, 2020, it was announced that a spin-off centered on a superhero college had been fast-tracked into development upon the ratings success of the series' second season. Described as being "part college show, part ''
Hunger Games ''The Hunger Games'' is a series of young adult dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The first three novels are part of a trilogy following teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and the fourth book is a prequel set 6 ...
''", the spin-off is to be set "...at America's only college exclusively for young adult superheroes (and run by Vought International)" and is described as "an irreverent, R-rated series that explores the lives of hormonal, competitive Supes as they put their physical, sexual, and moral boundaries to the test, competing for the best contracts in the best cities". On October 2, 2020, Kripke stated the series would focus on the G-Men team that had been mentioned in the first season, a
parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...
of the
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
. On September 27, 2021, the untitled spin-off was given a series order by Amazon Studios. Filming of the series, titled ''
Gen V ''Gen V'' (also known as ''The Boys: Gen V'') is an upcoming American superhero streaming television series, developed by Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, serving as a spin-off of '' The Boys'' by Eric Kripke, and based on '' The Boys'' comic boo ...
'', beginning at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
in May 2022 and the Claireville Conservation Area,
Brampton Brampton ( or ) is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Brampton is a city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#Lower-tier municipalities, lower-tier municipalit ...
in July, intended for an October wrap.


Other media


''Vought News Network''

Ahead of the premiere of the third season, the series had released video segments in the form of in-universe news reports from the Vought News Network channel on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
, titled '' Seven on 7 with Cameron Coleman''. Each of the seven segments contains seven stories that tease events in upcoming episodes and introduce new cast members, and acts as a bridge between Season 2 and 3. Matthew Edison, who plays news anchor Cameron Coleman, also appears in the third season of the series.


''Supe Porn''

On October 3, 2020, Eric Kripke said that the in-universe
pornographic Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of Human sexual activity, sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults,
superhero film A superhero film (or superhero movie) is a film that focuses on the actions of superheroes. Superheroes are individuals who possess superhuman abilities and are dedicated to protecting the public. These films typically feature Action film, ac ...
scenes briefly glimpsed in the second season ''The Boys'' episode "
Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker The second season of the American superhero television series '' The Boys'', the first series in the franchise based on the comic book series of the same name written by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, was developed for television by American ...
" had been produced in full, expressing interest in releasing them under the name ''Supe Porn'' to the website of the same name, registered to
Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio Conglomerate (company), conglom ...
, as well as supposedly requesting
Seth Rogen Seth Aaron Rogen (; born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and filmmaker. Originally a stand-up comedian in Vancouver, he moved to Los Angeles for a part in Judd Apatow's series ''Freaks and Geeks'', and then got a part on ...
,
Evan Goldberg Evan D. Goldberg (born September 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American filmmaker and comedian. He has collaborated with his childhood friend Seth Rogen on the films '' Superbad'', ''Pineapple Express'', ''This Is the End'', '' The Interview'', and '' ...
,
Antony Starr Antony Starr (born 25 October 1975) is a New Zealand actor, known for his television roles. He played the dual roles of Jethro and Van West on '' Outrageous Fortune'' (2005–10), Lucas Hood on ''Banshee'' (2013–16), and Homelander on '' The Bo ...
and the other followers of his
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
page to join him in petitioning Prime Video and
Amazon Studios Amazon Studios is an American television and film producer and distributor that is a subsidiary of Amazon. It specializes in developing television series and distributing and producing films. It was started in late 2010. Content is distributed th ...
to allow the potential
web series A web series (also known as a web show) is a series of scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet, which first emerged in the late 1990s and became more prominent in the early 2000s. A single i ...
to be uploaded. Later on, a fictional
sex toy A sex toy is an object or device that is primarily used to facilitate human sexual pleasure, such as a dildo, artificial vagina or vibrator. Many popular sex toys are designed to resemble human genitals, and may be vibrating or non-vibrating ...
online store Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser or a mobile app. Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of the r ...
was added to the website, with a collection of products such as ''The StarMight Plug'' and ''Translucent's Glass Dildo''. At the bottom of the website there is a message saying that its contents are for entertainment purpose only and not actually for sale.


Notes


References


External links

*
Official YouTube Channel for Vought International
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Boys (2019 TV series), The The Boys (franchise) 2010s American black comedy television series 2010s American comic science fiction television series 2010s American LGBT-related comedy television series 2010s American LGBT-related drama television series 2010s American satirical television series 2010s American superhero comedy television series 2019 American television series debuts 2020s American black comedy television series 2020s American LGBT-related comedy television series 2020s American LGBT-related drama television series 2020s American satirical television series 2020s American superhero comedy television series Amazon Prime Video original programming American crime comedy television series Dynamite Entertainment adaptations English-language television shows LGBT-related superhero television shows Serial drama television series Television series by Amazon Studios Television series by Sony Pictures Television Television series set in 2019 Television series set in 2020 Television shows based on DC Comics Television shows filmed in Toronto Television shows set in New York City Vigilante television series Works about the Russian Mafia