I Just Dont Know What to Tell You: The Boys Showrunner Responds to Homelander Advocates
Eric Kripke says he isn't bothered by people who insist The Boys has no politics. The showrunner notes how some fans even think Homelander is a protagonist despite the series depicting him as the exact opposite.
The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has a sobering response to the series' casual audience. Speaking with /Film, he said he's okay with fans treating The Boys as escapist entertainment like the superhero "content" of late. However, he hoped more people would read into the show's underlying messages, particularly its heavy social and political commentaries. "The show has a lot on its mind, and I would certainly appreciate it more if people get the different layers that we work so hard to put into it," he asserted. Kripke said The Boys has been explicitly tackling political issues since Season 1, so he's at a loss as to why many prefer not to read into them.
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The Boys' Homelander in his live birthday speech
"It doesn't really particularly bother me," he clarified. "I just kind of throw up my hands, and I'm like, 'Well, I don't know what else to do then.' The show is many things. Subtle is not one of them." Kripke also revealed he has never written any season to cater to that segment of the audience, hoping they would eventually come around and appreciate his (politically charged) adaptation. He's at the very least ambivalent about fan perception of Homelander as a misunderstood hero. "If you, for instance, think Homelander's a hero, I just don't know what to tell you," he added. "But look, on the other hand, if people want to watch this show as just escapist entertainment, like as any other superhero thing ... then I guess thanks for watching, question mark?"
Homelander Is The Boys' Glorified Antagonist
Kripke continued to describe Homelander as the definition of unchecked, unchallenged authority. His rise as a public figure also speaks to modern celebrity culture driven by spin and social media. "I mean, look, even as short as 10 years ago, the idea of a celebrity trying to turn themselves into an authoritarian autocrat was a slightly crazy idea," he explained. "Then with 2016 and the build-up to it, suddenly it became a very, very real idea. Here's this comic book that has a character that's doing exactly the same thing, and I really lucked into adapting it at the single best time in history to adapt that comic."
Homelander and Billy Butcher face off, using heat vision at one another
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Kripke confirmed he's constantly in contact with The Boys creators Darick Robertson and Garth Ennis, who only had a few conditions with the TV adaptation. "Look, [Ennis] always said to me early, he said, 'Get Butcher right, and get the tone and the characters right. In terms of the story, I get that the story has to be different,'" Kripke said. "...I think they like it. I think Garth likes it. He tells me he does, so we'll see."
The Boys Season 4 premieres on Jun. 13 on Prime Video.
Source: /Film
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The Boys
Release Date July 26, 2019Cast Karl Urban, Karen Fukuhara, Erin Moriarty, Jack QuaidMain Genre ActionGenres Drama, Superhero, Action, CrimeRating TV-MASeasons 4Franchise The BoysCreator Eric KripkeProduction Company Kripke Enterprises, Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television