Karl Urban on 'The Boys' success: It resonates on a deeper level

The superhero genre is just literally the lightest genre that strikes a chord with the audience.In the fifties, it was Westerns and the sixties, it was cop shows and they are always used as a device to present to the audience the existential issues that sort of feed into the current zeitgeist of the community, the 49-year-old actor told PTI in a Zoom interview.Created by Erick Kripke, The Boys had a smash hit debut on Prime Video in 2019 and became a rage among the fans and critics for its fresh and different take on the superhero world.

There's enough room to explore various stories within the superhero genre, says ''The Boys'' star Karl Urban who credits the show's success to its ability to connect with the viewers on ''existential issues''.

''The Boys'' falls on the opposite spectrum of the superhero genre as it is set in a world where superheroes are not the holier-than-thou cult figures often seen in Marvel and DC movies.

In the show, based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, superheroes are selfish and corrupt-to-the-core people who are managed by an evil multinational organization called The Vought.

Urban said superhero stories have the same influence today that Westerns enjoyed in the fifties or the cop dramas had in the sixties. ''I think there's enough room for all kinds of subgenres within the superhero genre and the audience demand to see more stories in that world is quite strong. The superhero genre is just literally the lightest genre that strikes a chord with the audience.

''In the fifties, it was Westerns and the sixties, it was cop shows and they are always used as a device to present to the audience the existential issues that sort of feed into the current zeitgeist of the community,'' the 49-year-old actor told PTI in a Zoom interview.

Created by Erick Kripke, ''The Boys'' had a smash hit debut on Prime Video in 2019 and became a rage among the fans and critics for its fresh and different take on the superhero world. Part of the reason for the show's popularity was the way it tapped into the current issues of the real world in its story, which Urban said helped it strike a deep chord with the audiences.

''With 'The Boys', our first season happened to be relevant to the #MeToo movement, and going into season two, it was the Black Lives Matter movement and the US political situation. And that to me is the mark of a good show. You can have fun watching the show but it also resonates on a deeper level.'' Urban plays Billy Butcher, the no-nonsense leader of the titular group of everyday guys, whose purpose is to bring down the superheroes or Supes, particularly the Superman-like figure Homelander.

The actor, who has been part of cult classic movies like Peter Jackson's ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy, ''Riddick'' series, and ''Dredd'', believes there are several elements that work in ''The Boys'' favor.

''First of all, the writing team. Eric Kripke and his writers have delivered something unique in the world of the superhero genre. Like you can't get, tonally, what 'The Boys' deliver anywhere else. Secondly, there's just a fantastic synergy between the cast that goes an incredibly long way.

''Coming back to Eric, I think it is his attitude. For him, the best idea wins. No matter if you're a director, an actor, a makeup specialist, or any crew member, If you come to him with an idea and he can see the potential that it elevates the show, he will put it in. That's the real true secret of the success of the show.'' ''The Boys'' is now back with its third season, which started streaming on Prime Video on Friday.

According to Urban, the new season is ''much more fluid and dynamic'' than the previous chapters.

''We have incorporated themes of musicals and animation. Beyond that, I think most important audiences, now that they're invested in love for these characters, are going to be taken on a deeper emotional journey.'' The actor said the stakes are higher for Butcher as the new season will put him in a dark space as he has lost ''one true love of his life''.

''He gets presented with a choice. And this season is very much about that for all the characters. How far are you willing to go to achieve what you want? Are you willing to cross certain lines to achieve that? ''Every character is presented with that moral dilemma and that leads characters into unlikely alliances and leads to conflict. And it leads to some slippery slopes and some dark paths, but also a lot of fun and a lot of action,'' he added.

''The Boys'' season three will also feature Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott, Jessie T Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Karen Fukuhara, Claudia Doumit, and Jensen Ackles.

The first three episodes of the third season are currently streaming on Prime Video and new episodes will be available each Friday following, leading up to the season finale on July 8.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)