The adaptation history ofGarth Ennis’ comicThe Boysis long and, as of yet, unfulfilled. A feature film iteration of the antihero story has been in the works for over half a decade now, withAnchormanandStep BrothersdirectorAdam McKayattached for a long while to bring it to fruition. It would have marked a significant departure for McKay, as the graphic novel is a hyperviolent story of a group of special agents who are tasked with policing the world’s superheroes and villains by any means necessary. However, according to a new report, the rights may have new owners, and they have a different kind of adaptation in mind.
PerBirth.Movies.Death.,This Is the EndfilmmakersSeth RogenandEvan Goldbergare currently shopping a TV series adaptation ofThe Boysto cable networks, withSupernaturalcreator andRevolutionshowrunnerEric Kripkealso involved. It’s unclear what their take on the material is, but Rogen and Goldberg already have a leg-up having just adapted Ennis’Preacherfor AMC—they directed the pilot and are executive producing that show, which has been ordered to series.
One would imagine the obvious choice for Rogen and Goldberg would be AMC since they’ve just established a relationship at the network, but BMD points out that they could possibly be hoping to land at a pay cable network where they couldreallylet loose with the source material’s graphic violence.
Over the years, McKay always said the sticking point thatkeptThe Boysfrom getting a greenlight was the budget. It needed something close to $100 million, but it would absolutely have to be an R-rated film. That’s not an easy sell for a movie studio, even if you have someone likeRussell Crowecircling a starring role. If Rogen and Goldberg can get a series adaptation set up someplace like HBO, however, they could potentially have the resources necessary to bring this thing to fruition once and for all.
It’s still very early in the process, though, and it’s unclear if HBO is even interested at this point. They certainly have a bit of a drama series drought coming up, which will only get worse onceGame of Thronesends in a couple of years, but high profile new series likeWestworldandVinylare on the horizon, and they’re talking withZack SnyderaboutaWatchmenTV show. It’s tough to imagine a world in which they greenlight bothWatchmenandThe Boys, so it would likely be an either/or scenario. There’s also the question of whetherSimon Peggwould play Wee Hughie, the main character in the comics who was physically modeled after Pegg. Though since this is only in the earliest discussion phase, it’s a bit premature to begin talking casting.
Rogen and Goldberg found a lovely niche in the film world with movies likeThis Is the EndandThe Interview, learning that as long as they kept the budgets reasonable, they could make movies that were a bit stranger and more creatively ambitious. WithPreacherand now possiblyThe Boys, it appears they may be translating that approach to longform storytelling. As long as the results are as good as the films they’ve been making, I say keep it coming.
