Tomer Capone, who portrays Frenchie on The Boys, says that the show has ruined superhero movies for him. Superhero movies have always been popular with audiences, such as the likes of Christopher Reeves' Superman in the late '70s and Michael Keaton's Batman in the late 80's, but it wasn't until roughly the last decade or so that they truly became their own major genre of film. With 2012's The Avengers and the overall success of the MCU came the demand for more superhero content which has resulted in hundreds of superhero movies and shows coming out over the last 10 years. However, this led to the perfect opportunity for Amazon to release a superhero adaptation the likes of which audiences have never experienced with The Boys.
Based on the comic of the same name created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys is about a world full of superheroes who have become corrupt due to their power and celebrity status. However, a group of mercenaries has teamed up to attempt to rid the world of the "supes" before it's too late. The team known as "The Boys" is led by Karl Urban's Willaim Butcher and is rounded out by Jack Quaid's Hughie Campbell, Laz Alonso's Mother's Milk, Capone's Frenchie, and Karen Fukuhara's Kimiko. The group travels around dealing with superheroes in some of the most indecent, profane, and overall violent ways that has ever been seen on television and, as a result, is one of the most popular series available today.
In a recent interview with Uproxx, Capone has revealed that the show has affected his ability to watch superhero movies. Capone explains that even though he used to love "men in Spandex who have special powers," the show has completely taken that feeling away. He goes on to explain that the last 10 years of superhero media has been excellent but ever since he read the The Boys comic to prepare for the role, he doesn't buy it anymore. He goes on to praise the writers for flipping the genre on its head and telling a new kind of story. You can read Capone's full quote below.
I think it ruined the whole superhero experience for me. I used to think that men in Spandex who have special powers are cool. But this show just wiped that away. When I see superheroes on screen, I don’t buy it anymore. In the last 10 years, everybody was into the whole superhero thing, trying to run away from reality. And then I read The Boys and I’m like, ‘They took the genre and f*cking flipped it.” They said, ‘Let’s see how superheroes act in front of the mirror when they’re finishing their day. What are they really about when they’re taking the Spandex off?
The Boys has provided audiences with some of the most despicable villains in film and TV history who act as a reflection of some of the most beloved heroes. The main antagonist of the show is Antony Starr's Homelander, who is meant to be a spin on DC's Superman. In just three seasons, this character has committed some of the most heinous atrocities a person can think of, including letting a plane full of innocent people die because only saving some of them may have affected his image. On top of this, The Seven is full of horrible people who parody the Justice League, including A-Train, who ran through Hughie's girlfriend in the first episode killing her instantly, and The Deep who sexually assaulted Starlight in season 1.
It comes as no surprise that someone like Capone who is so close to the show now looks at all superhero movies differently because the message that The Boys gives its viewers is bone-chilling. While the likes of Superman and Spider-Man may be the best of the best, The Boys tells its viewers that if those heroes were real and not works of fiction, the power they wield would undoubtedly corrupt them. The Boys is currently in its third season on Amazon Prime, with new episodes coming every Friday, so fans can expect the heroes to get even more corrupt as it continues.
Source: Uproxx