The return of Amazon's THE BOYS is without a doubt one of the most anticipated television events of this cruel and unusual year. For the uninitiated, THE BOYS flips the script on superheroes by showing what happens when unflinching adoration and corporate sponsorship corrupts the intention to serve and protect. It's the kind of show that'll leave you questioning everything you've ever known about your heroes as well as what happens when the masks come off. The show arrived as a massive hit for Amazon Prime last July, and with new episodes landing on the streamer this September, fans are bound to lose their minds when they hear that a Billy Butcher short film is also on the way.
That's right, folks, Karl Urban's Billy Butcher is getting his own short film, and you won't have to wait long to see it.
Recently while speaking with Collider, THE BOYS showrunner Eric Kripke revealed that a short film called "Butcher" will be released after season two begins streaming on Amazon Prime. How this all came about is that the show's sophomore season originally shot an episode chronicling what happened to Butcher after going MIA since the season one finale. As it happens, Kripke and company had cut the episode due to pacing, but you can bet your superhero-loving ass that they saved the footage. Those materials were then used to create "Butcher."
During his talk with Collider's Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub, Kripke also emphasized that they were given a bigger budget for season two, which is sure to lead to more outrageous effects and over-the-top superhero antics. “They goosed up our budget a bit," said Kripke. "That time buys you the ability…and it doesn’t just mean huge action scenes. It does mean some of those. We have some huge sequences. There are larger sea mammals. There is some bigger stuff for sure. But there is also a lot more intense stuff and scenes that were really difficult for the actors emotionally and require a bit more time. It’s not just the visuals that are epic; I think the emotions are a little more epic this season and that just takes some TLC with the actors.”
Kripke also noted that season two "didn't need to go bigger, it needed to go deeper," which is a fine ideology when building upon a show that already has a rock-solid foundation.
For more on Kripke's approach to THE BOYS season two, including how Giancarlo Esposito will have an expanded role as Vought CEO Stan Edgar, click here.
Amazon Prime's THE BOYS stars Karl Urban, Karen Fukuhara, Laz Alonso, Tomer Capon, Jack Quaid, Anthony Starr, Dominique McElligott, Jesse T. Usher, Chance Crawford, and Aya Cash. Be sure to get caught up on season one so that you're ready for when THE BOYS returns for more of its twisted take on superheroes on September 4th.