Amazon’s bloodiest superhero series has a finish line in sight, and apparently, it’s been marked on the map since season three. The series was renewed for a fifth season back in May ahead of the Season 4 premiere and at that time, it was announced that Season 5 would conclude the series. However, Jack Quaid, who plays Hughie Campbell in the hit series, The Boys, recently revealed he’s known about the planned conclusion for some time and that he thinks it’s the right place to end the series.
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“I think it’s good that we end with season five because we’re ending on our own terms,” Quaid told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s not like someone canceled us and we’re trying to quickly make a season that feels final. This was always the showrunner’s intention to end with five seasons and I’ve actually known that for a little bit and tried to keep my mouth shut about it.”
The decision to wrap up after five seasons comes directly from showrunner Eric Kripke, who announced the news just before season four’s three-episode premiere. Kripke shared the revelation by posting on X a redacted script page from season four’s finale with the message: “SEE YOU FOR OUR FINAL SEASON, MOTHERF—RS!”
[RELATED: The Boys Star Giancarlo Esposito Teases an “Explosive” Sendoff to “Whirlwind” Final Season]
“From the very beginning, I wanted to wrap it out around season five,” Kripke explained back in June. “And then I would say plans really solidified that we were going to actually do it years ago. I think we were probably in the middle of making season three, so it could have been three or four years ago that we always knew.”
The showrunner also emphasized that this deliberate pacing and knowing for so much time the length of the series overall ultimately serves the story’s structure.
“It gives you enough time to get to know the characters,” he said. “You can have your calm-before-the-storm moment, which is kind of what season four is for me. I say calm… you know what I mean. It’s about the characters, and then you kick off into a climax.”
The series follows vigilantes led by Billy Butcher fighting against corrupt superheroes, particularly the fascist Homelander. Their conflict stems from deeply personal roots, as Homelander is believed to have raped Butcher’s wife, leading to a supe baby that accidentally killed its mother while trying to protect her. While Quaid teases that the final season will be “very messy” and speculates that “a lot of us are probably gonna die,” fans can take comfort in knowing that The Boys universe will continue through various spinoffs. These include the recently launched Gen V, the animated series Diabolical, and several projects in development.
“Look, I love this universe and this is the best job I’ve ever had,” Kripke shared, “so, hopefully Gen V will continue. It’s just this particular story, the Butcher vs. Homelander story, that needs to come to a close. But I think this universe is a big one, and I think there’s room for other stories and other corners of it.”
“I know in a rough way,” he added. “We very intentionally leave a lot of space in there for the writers to surprise me and to take a left turn if we feel like it. I don’t totally know how we’re going to get there, but I know the destination.”
The first four seasons of The Boys are now streaming on Prime Video.
