The Boys Season 4 is on the way and the latest piece of hilarious meta-humor marketing for the film is using the infamous character of Homelander (Antony Starr) to poke a little fun at a certain looming public figure who may be experiencing a little brush with the legal system right now:
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“Good morning everyone, I’m Ashley Barrett, coming to you with an important update on behalf of our greatest hero, and our most loving father. In the coming months, Homelander will stand trial for saving his son from a vicious Starlight-loving thug. An act of heroism, now somehow being branded a murder. Make no mistake: Vought and its shareholders stand fully behind Homelander, and this will in no way impact his status as captain of The Seven. We have complete faith in the American legal system to get things right. Like it always does. For now, keep him and Ryan in your thoughts and in your prayers. And be sure to post with #HomeFree, so he can see your support.”
It’s a dark day for America. But together, we can keep an innocent hero #HomeFree. Here’s CEO Ashley Barrett with more on Homelander. pic.twitter.com/vaJNk56Iy5
— Vought International (@VoughtIntl) June 14, 2023
As you can see in the video above, this promo video for The Boys Season 4 features current Vought International CEO Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) making a plea to Homelander fans everywhere, asking for their support as America’s Superman prepares to face trial. (The Boys Season 3 SPOILERS Follow!) In the Season 3 finale of The Boys, Homelander saw his son Ryan choose to step under his wing; at a Homelander-themed rally, the superpowered father and son were accosted by a protestor, and Homelander lost all control, cutting the man down with his laser vision. Instead of Ryan and the crowd being horrified or angry, Homelander discovers that his son and his fans all cheer on his hard-line resolve. That ending set up a frightening new socio-political context for The Boys Season 4 – and this promo makes it look like the makers of the show are once again nailing the absurdity of real-world events with uncanny timing.
The “joke” of this promo is, of course, the recent indictment of former President Donald Trump, who has plead not guilty to no less than 37 criminal charges over his alleged mishandling of classified documents during and after his presidency. Trump has launched a very public attack campaign against the legal institutions pursuing him, rallying his supporters to do the same. None of this has dissuaded Trump from seeking a return to the White House; The Boys Season 4 will be a timely reflection of the cultural climate headed into the 2024 Presidential Election – especially since part of its story will examine Victoria Neuman’s (Claudia Doumit) own machinations to take the Oval Office.
The Boys Season 4 is in production.