From Amazon, Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg (Preacher) and Eric Kripke (Supernatural) comes the small screen adaptation of the insane comic series The Boys from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The series stars Antony Starr, Dominique McElligott, Chace Crawford, Jessie T. Usher, Nathan Mitchell and Erin Moriarty.
In a world where superheroes exist… However, most of the superheroes in the universe are corrupted by their celebrity status and often engage in reckless behaviour, compromising the safety of the world. For this reason, a super-powered CIA squad, known informally as “The Boys”, is charged with monitoring the superhero community; the name is Butcher’s contribution, a reference from his neighbourhood that those in power would send “the boys” to handle anyone causing trouble.
Thanks to Deadline, we have news that most of the main super ‘heroes’ from the upcoming TV adaptation of The Boys have been cast. Antony Starr, who was ‘Lucas Hood’ on the incredible four-season run of Banshee, will be none other than The Homelander. He’s the leader of ‘The Seven’, a super team of dysfunctional heroes that goes toe to toe with ‘The Boys’ – a CIA special Ops crew who keep superhumans in check from all the horrible things they tend to do. The Homelander is easily one of the most vile and terrible villains that Garth Ennis has ever written — at times eating children, skullf***ing people to death and just being an overall asshole in general. I love Starr’s casting here even if it surprises the hell out of me.
Erin Moriarty was the first announced cast member and she’ll be playing The Seven’s newest recruit Starlight, who starts to find out that being a superhero isn’t as glorious as she once thought. Dominique McElligott will play Queen Maeve, the alcoholic Wonder-Woman type of the group; Jesse T. Usher is A-Train, the speedster; Chase Crawford as The Deep, a ridiculous take on Aquaman; and Nathan Mitchell as the mysterious Black Noir…. As a massive fan of the comic, that last casting choice seems odd to me. But I won’t spoil that here.
So far we have no casting announcements for The Boys themselves, but there’s still time to hire Simon Pegg as Wee Hughie… Just sayin — Darick Robertson did use his likeness for the character and it would be really hard to imagine anyone else in that role.