The Boys’ political humor has always been a gloomy reflection of modern America’s highs and lows, even when it comes to superhero culture.
In an extended conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Eric Kripke talked about making his adaptation of Garth Ennis’ comics stand out in an era both oversaturated with, and potentially losing interest in, comic book adaptations in general. When it comes to The Boys and Gen V, as Kripke saw it, “None of them are really superhero shows. They have the suits and powers, but The Boys is a show about celebrity politics and late-stage capitalism. Gen V is a coming-of-age story about the college experience.”
He then compared this genre-specific approach to how early Marvel Cinematic Universe films stood apart tonally, noting, “Iron Man is almost a fast and loose indie movie. Captain America is a World War II movie. Winter Soldier is a spy thriller. Guardians of the Galaxy is this crazy space adventure. They were great. All superhero movies — not just Marvel — start to flag when it’s just a superhero movie. Then they feel the same as every other one, and the one thing audiences can’t stand is monotony.”
Kripke praised The Boys’ ability to align each season with current events and American politics, citing Donald Trump as a direct inspiration for Homelander’s psyche. There are parallels between Homelander’s season 4 trial for publically 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ing a civilian and Trump’s New York civil fraud trial, when he was found guilty on 34 counts. One concern is whether it is possible to prosecute someone of such power. What does this signify for his fans and those who are protesting him? Did I know it would come out during Trump’s trial? Of course not. But we write about things that make us afraid or angry.”
“They have the suits and powers, but The Boys is a show about celebrity politics and late-stage capitalism. Gen V is a coming-of-age story about the college experience.”
Leading up to season 4, The Boys has regularly skewered Trump’s catchphrases and 2024 campaign gimmicks as part of its marketing, including parody posts of Homelander selling an overpriced line of sneakers to pay for his trial. Other figures of satire include the Seven’s new members Firecracker and Sister Sage, the former embodying right-wing “conspiracy-minded movements” while the latter, despite possessing genius-level intellect, struggles to convince people to follow her advice due to her race and economic background. Meanwhile, The Boys season 3 and Gen V teased an in-universe political threat via metahuman Congresswoman Victoria Neuman, who secretly partnered with Homelander to secure her Vice President nomination.
The Boys Earned an Early Renewal for Season 5
The Boys was renewed for season 5 earlier this year, with Kripke hinting at perhaps going beyond that number before ending the plot. Gen V began filming season 2 last month, despite the cast’s grief over Chance Perdomo’s death from a motorbike accident.
Season 4 of The Boys will release on Prime Video on June 13.
