Since it’s release on Amazon last year, The Boys has become one of the most popular shows around. With it’s original, dark, and very humorous take on superheroes in the corporate real world, the show is unlike anything most fans have seen before. The Boys transformed a genre dominated by family-friendly, generic storylines with its hilarious parodies, graphic action, and most importantly an excellent cast.
From Antony Starr’s stellar performance, where he manages to change from uncomfortably nice to pure evil in a matter of seconds, to Karl Urban’s straight-talking Billy Butcher, the cast is brilliant. It’s hard to imagine a different set of actors, but what if The Boys was a movie? With a massive budget and a need for some big stars, who could play the main characters? Here’s our list.
Homelander: Jon Hamm
With Superman’s ability and Captain America’s public image, Homelander is one of the most complex characters in the show and after impressive performances from Antony Starr, it's hard to imagine any other actor embodying the role as well as he has. But with a similar voice and mannerisms, we think Jon Hamm could be a perfect fit.
Known primarily for his award-winning role in Mad Men, Jon Hamm is quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest names. With his upcoming role in Top Gun: Maverick, he’s likely to become an even bigger star, making him the perfect man to play the leader of the Seven.
Billy Butcher: Tom Hardy
Karl Urban has also been excellent in his role as the blunt and mildly cocky Billy Butcher so far. With incredible one-liners, the revenge-filled leader of The Boys will be a hard role for any actor. But, with a similar ability for one-liners, Tom Hardy could be a great alternative.
Already a known superstar, Tom Hardy is at the top of his game. We’ve seen him play anti-hero Eddie Brock in Venom, face off against Christian Bale’s Batman as Bane, and even star as former captive Max in Mad Max: Fury Road. But most importantly, he’s shown us his ability to excel as a blunt and scene-stealing character, most notably as Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders.
Hughie Campbell: Andrew Garfield
Mild-mannered and nerdy Hughie joined The Boys during season 1 after losing his girlfriend to the hands of a Supe in the very first scene of the show. Played by Jack Quaid, the character finds himself stuck in a battle against the supes and blindly following Butcher. To keep this awkwardness in his character, we suggest Andrew Garfield as the new Hughie.
Having already starred in a superhero movie, Garfield would have plenty of experience, and as we know from his portrayal of Peter Parker, is very able to play a nervous introvert. He would make for a slightly more comedic version of the character, and as the film would need, would be a recognizable name and face ready to lead the franchise.
Mother’s Milk: Terry Crews
Persuaded by Butcher to re-join the team, Mother’s Milk left his wife and child to help The Boys take down the supes once and for all. Laz Alonso plays the methodical and detail-obsessed extremely well, but we think The Boys could bring Terry Crews aboard as a great replacement.
Thanks to cop comedy Brooklyn 99, the former NFL player has become a fan-favorite. Mixing his comedic ability with his immense physique, Crews needs a breakout movie role, and Mother’s Milk could be just that. He could offer a different side to the character and if he’s not available, David Ramsey wouldn’t be a bad alternate.
The Female: Rila Fukushima
After following a trail of blood and flesh in season 1, we are introduced to the Female. With a mysterious origin and superhuman abilities, she became one of the most entertaining characters on the show, and there’s still so much we don’t know about her. Already known in the superhero world for her part in Suicide Squad, Karen Fukuhara was great.
But, if the film were turned into a movie, someone used to big comic book movies may be better. That’s why we think Rila Fukushima could excel. Known already for roles in Wolverine, Arrow, and Ghost In The Shell, she is no stranger to blockbusters and would be great as the Female.
Starlight: Florence Pugh
Erin Moriarty was known for small roles in various projects before her part in The Boys. Florence Pugh, on the other hand, is coming off a breakout year after featuring in Ari Aster's Midsommar and Greta Gerwig's Little Women. With her upcoming role in Black Widow as Yelena Belova, she is one of the most popular young actresses out there today.
Pugh would give a breath of fresh air amongst all the big names mentioned so far and is sure to put in a great performance as a down-to-earth superhero trapped in the evil, corporate world of The Seven.
The Deep: Chris Hemsworth
Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford dived straight back into the TV world as Aquaman rip-off The Deep. Introduced as an all-round awful person, The Deep undergoes a break down towards the end of season 1 as he’s exiled from the Seven. Already a big-name in the superhero genre, we think Chris Hemsworth would be a good fit.
Comedically capable, Hemsworth has the money-making potential to boost the franchise. But most importantly he has the looks and ability to pull off the hero. It would also be interesting to watch Hemsworth as The Deep breaks down – something we haven’t seen much of before in his acting career.
Queen Maeve: Cobie Smulders
One of the more likable members of the Seven is warrior, feminist, and Wonder Woman-alike Queen Maeve. Dominique McElligott made the most of her opportunity to play the cynical hero, whilst also demonstrating her soft side, notably with her difficult relationship with Elena.
Replacing her could be accomplished by casting Cobie Smulders. For the last few years, we’ve seen Smulders reprise her role as Maria Hill in the MCU showing her ability to play a fierce agent, and previously we’ve seen her play Robin Scherbatsky in How I Met Your Mother, showing her softer side. Both combined make her perfect for the part.
A-Train: Algee Smith
When The Boys was first released, many fans weren’t sure what to really expect. That changed almost immediately when A-Train crushes Hughie’s girlfriend into just flesh and bones after abusing Compound V. The fastest man in the world is portrayed as extremely paranoid and desperate to maintain his status and position in The Seven.
If they were to replace Jessie Usher as A-Train, we think Algee Smith would be a great pick. The actor rose to fame after appearing in Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit and 2018’s The Hate U Give. But, more recently, he starred as McKay in the award-winning Euphoria showing his unlimited potential. Yet to break into action blockbusters, The Boys could be his opportunity.
Frenchie: Vincent Cassel
Jack-of-all-trades Frenchie is an incredibly important part of The Boys. He’s skillful, violent, and intelligent but was also given a soft side especially when seen with Kimiko. This, however, is quite different from the comics. There, he is a violent and brutal killer known as ‘The Frenchman’. This version of Frenchie would be great to see on screen and perfectly suits Vincent Cassel.
After roles as a demanding and cruel ballet teacher in Black Swan and a man obsessed with revenge in Irreversible, Cassel has the personality perfect for Frenchie. It would be a more violent take on the character, but one which could work extremely well on the big screen.