More “The Boys” spinoffs? More “Diabolical”? Amazon exec addresses series' future
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The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke once told EW back in 2020 that he has repeatedly fielded pitches from those in his writers' room for what spinoffs to explore next. "If one of the writers or producers comes up with an organically great idea, Amazon is really supportive about us exploring it," he said at the time. "But the shows have to be really good. It doesn't help if it's cash-grabbing."
Three years later, as Amazon is readying for the release of its second offshoot, the college-set live-action series Gen V (on Prime Video Sept. 29), EW spoke with network executive Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon and MGM Studios, about the status of this growing cinematic universe.
"I will say this: Eric has had a vision for what this all leads to for years now, and we've been in an ongoing conversation about what comes next," Sanders says. "So, it's probably premature to talk about that beyond saying we believe in Eric, and if Eric is interested in continuing the story, we'll be the first ones in line to really work with him on what that is. But right now we're super focused on Gen V and an amazing season 4 of The Boys, which I think is going to blow fans away."
Amazon Studios Chance Perdomo's Andre Anderson in 'The Boys' spinoff 'Gen V'
The first spinoff became The Boys Presents: Diabolical. Released in 2022, the concept was an anthology format featuring standalone animated episodes of different characters set in the Boys universe. Some stories were considered canon, like the prequel episode for Antony Starr's Homelander. Some were not, like the Rick and Morty-esque Red River Institute tale. Only one season was delivered of Diabolical, but Sanders says more could be on the way.
Referring to executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the architects of The Boys with Kripke, Sanders says, "I think Seth and Evan and Eric are genuinely interested in it. I think we've been probably the ones who've been wanting to be careful not to over expose. So, once we committed to Gen V, we really wanted that to be the next thing out. And once we have it out and get a chance to see how everyone's reacting to it, we can start talking about, like I said, what comes next."
Gen V, which debuts the first three episodes of its eight-episode first season later this month, takes viewers to Godolkin University, America's premier college for young supes. Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), a supe with the ability to manipulate and weaponize blood, is accepted to the freshman class. On campus, she meets the likes of Golden Boy (Patrick Schwarzenegger), the top-ranked student who can set his whole body on fire; Jordan Li (played by both London Thor and Derek Luh), who can switch between male and female forms and access distinct power sets for each; Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo), with the power to manipulate metal; Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway), who can shrink her size; Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips), who can mentally "push" people to do whatever she wants through touch; and Sam (Asa Germann), a troubled teen involved in a sinister mystery at Godolkin.
Developed by Craig Rosenberg, Gen V season 1 is showrun by Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters. However, a writers' room for a prospective second season reportedly opened earlier this year with Fazekas now serving as the sole showrunner. "We think that if fans respond the way we've responded to Gen V we will have many more seasons of the show," says Sanders. "In the master plan between Eric and Michele and Tara, I think these shows will continue to talk to each other in fun ways."
Amazon Prime Butcher (Karl Urban) faces down Homelander (Antony Starr) in 'The Boys' season 3 finale.
As for the mothership show, The Boys season 4 wrapped filming in Toronto in April. Newcomers to the cast include Rosemarie DeWitt (Aidan's ex-wife on And Just Like That) as the absentee mom of Jack Quaid's Hughie; Susan Heyward and Valorie Curry as the supes Sister Sage and Firecracker; Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead: Dead City), Rob Benedict (Supernatural), and Elliot Knight (Animal Kingdom) in undisclosed roles. Simon Pegg will also return as Hughie's dad, and Kripke teased (in his cryptic way) that Derek Wilson's Tek Knight, a character EW exclusively reported will be debuting in Gen V, could possibly show up on The Boys.
Prior to the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike, star Claudia Doumit, who reprises Congresswoman Victoria Neuman for the live-action spinoff, said, "It was great to shoot Gen V because they tee up a lot of stuff that's going to happen in season 4 for The Boys. Gen V lays a lot of the groundwork and a lot of the foundations that season 4 will be built on for The Boys. So, watch it because it gives you a lot of information."
Make sure to check out EW's Fall TV Preview cover story on Gen V — as well as all of our 2023 Fall TV Preview content, releasing through Sept. 21.
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