Not entirely unlike a certain all-powerful Vought Corporation, Amazon has decided it quite likes being in the superhero business.
The streaming giant (well, everything giant) announced today that it has ordered a spinoff series based on its current dark superhero satire The Boys. This still unnamed spinoff will be set at a college created by Vought that caters exclusively to young superheroes. Per Amazon’s synopsis:
“The Untitled Boys Spinoff is 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. Part college show, part Hunger Games — with all the heart, satire and raunch of The Boys.”
According to Deadline, this spinoff has been in the works for “awhile.” And per Amazon’s own announcement, the concept is being “fast-tracked” meaning that it might go into production earlier than expected. Craig Rosenberg is already attached as a writer and showrunner. Rosenberg, Eric Kripke (current showrunner of The Boys), Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, and Pavun Shetty will all serve as executive producers. Original creators of The Boys comic, Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, will receive executive producer credit as well.
There’s some irony to Ennis and Robertson’s satire of corporatized and fascistic superhero culture becoming its own franchise. But those are just the perils of success we suppose. The Boys season 2 premiered on Sept. 4 and has been airing new episodes weekly, culminating with a finale on Oct. 9. As part of its spinoff announcement, Amazon also revealed some eye-popping viewership numbers for the show’s second season.
Amazon claims that The Boys season 2 was the most-watched global launch of an Amazon Prime Original Series ever, nearly doubled the viewership numbers over season 1, and continues to draw millions of viewers each week. Those are the kind of numbers that would make Vought proud.
The Boys stars Karl Urban (Billy Butcher), Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid), Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk), Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko), and Tomer Capon (Frenchie) as the titular boys – a group loosely affiliated with the CIA that’s intent on keeping the country’s misbehaving superheroes in check. Anthony Starr leads the superhero side of the cast as the terrifying and sociopathic Homelander. Erin Moriary (Starlight), Jesse T. Usher (A-Train), and Dominique McElligott (Queen Maeve) all star as members of the superhero team “The Seven” as well.
Aya Cash joined the cast of the show in its second season as Stormfront, the super with a very, very questionable past.