Audiences will have to start bracing themselves to say goodbye to The Boys, as creator Eric Kripke has officially confirmed the viciously entertaining superhero satire will conclude with its upcoming fifth season on Amazon Prime Video.
Kripke, who had remained coy about specific episode counts after being “wrong” about planned season totals for his previous series Supernatural, revealed the longstanding five-season vision during the launch week for The Boys Season 4.
“Season 4 Premiere Week is a good time to announce: Season 5 will be the Final Season!” Kripke declared on Twitter. “Always my plan, I just had to be cagey till I got the final OK from Vought. Thrilled to bring the story to a gory, epic, moist climax.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the showrunner provided deeper insight into the narrative motivations for capping the demented adventures of Billy Butcher’s crew after five outings.
#TheBoys Season 4 Premiere Week is a good time to announce: Season 5 will be the Final Season! Always my plan, I just had to be cagey till I got the final OK from Vought. Thrilled to bring the story to a gory, epic, moist climax. Watch Season 4 in 2 DAYS, cause the end has begun! pic.twitter.com/3p7Wt4jGA6
— Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) June 11, 2024
“Part of it is such a wonky stupid screenwriter thing but three and five are the big magical numbers for writing,” Kripke explained. “Three is movie acts, TV acts are five. Jokes are a runner of three for five. Five just seems like a good round number. It’s enough to tell the story but also bring it to a climax without wearing out its welcome.”
Kripke voiced excitement at finally sticking to his predetermined roadmap after the longer-than-anticipated Supernatural run, allowing him to organically build towards The Boys’ explosive finale over two more seasons following the currently unfolding fourth.
“I’m excited to finally execute a 5-season plan,” he told EW. “That’s very exciting for me.”
The creator maintained that while the core Boys narrative will reach its conclusive endgame, the door remains open for further tales set in the chaotically superpowered universe to continue on Prime Video. Potential avenues include the newly renewed Gen V spin-off or other rumored projects like a reported Mexican-set series.
As viewers gear up for the viscerally audacious fourth season, they can take solace that Kripke and company are steering toward an intentionally climactic ending befitting the show’s deliriously subversive spirit. The beginning of the end awaits when The Boys returns on June 13th.