Super-heroes have become synonymous with comics, especially for the mainstream movie-going public. And with the steady stream of super-hero flicks coming out of DC, Marvel and even smaller publishers, it looks like capes, cowls and domino masks are going to be a fashion trend in film for a long time to come. But there’s room for more than one type of super-hero flick, and I think the most refreshing gust of air the burgeoning superhero movie niche needs is Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s The Boys.
Originally created at DC, The Boys flew the coop soon after their debut after documenting the seedy side of super-hero life and a group of black ops bruisers tasked with making sure they don’t get out of hand; consider them animal control for the super-hero set. Promised from the get-go to “out-Preacher Preacher” by Ennis himself, it’s gone on to pass the 60-issue mark and fire off several spin-off mini-series of its own. Now it’s time for Baker, Hughie and the boys (and girl) to take on the big screen.
The Concept:
The Boys comic has set up an intricate world full of different heroes, villains and government interests, with story-arcs overlapping and some not paying off until years later. To make this work, I’d take the first two story-arcs, “The Name of the Game” (#1 and 2) and “Cherry” (#3-6) and work them into an encompassing narrative. That would see Baker bringing back the Boys as a team, recruiting Wee Hughie, and their first real mission against teenage superhero team Teenage Kix. I’d also stress the early introduction of Starlight and her recruitment into this world’s premiere super-hero team the Seven, setting up future events of the series should movie sequels happen.
As far as tone, this could easily be filmed as a action/comedy but instead I’d push it as more serious with a dark sense of humor. The way the filmmakers approach this film tonally will either make or break the film’s chances for success. What it needs to be is an answer to the growing number of super-hero blockbuster movies out there, showing a different side that people could easily get behind.
The Director:
Comedy director Adam McKay (Talladega Nights, Anchorman) is currently pencilled in for this after his action/comedy mix with The Other Guys, but I think The Boys isn’t a comedy/action but a drama with a dark sense of humor. For this I’d enlist the recent Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie to mix the experience he’s gained from those two movies as well as his earlier experiences like Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Revolver to bring Ennis & Robertson’s ideas to life.
The Cast:
Billy Butcher – Russell Crowe: Some people might say Crowe is past his prime to play Butcher, but I think he’s just waiting for the right role to get back in the zone from his Gladiator Days — and playing Billy Butcher could be just it. Little known fact: Crowe turned down the chance to play Wolverine in the first X-Men movie. He’s playing Superman’s dad in Man of Steel, but I think his comic book casting destiny lies is something more definitive — like taking the piss out of the superhero genre with The Boys.
Hughie Campbell – Simon Pegg: Darick Roberson cast Pegg in those role when he first drew Wee Hughie in The Boys #1, and Pegg himself has done little to back away from that — even writing the introduction to the first TPB collection. Although he’s recently said he might be too old for the role now, Pegg is still ideal, even if he didn’t look the part; he’s heavily known as a comedy actor despite appearing in the recent Star Trek and Mission: Impossible, and this could give him a leading role to stretch his wings.
Mother’s Milk – Dennis Haysbert: Some might call for a younger actor to play this part, but I’d argue this former 24 actor and current Allstate Insurance spokesman is ideal and would strike a strong contrast to Crowe-as-Butcher and Pegg-as-Hughie.
The Female – Song Hye-kyo: Virtually unknown to American audiences, this South Korean actress cemented her TV to movie transition with the Camillia trilogy big screen. She’s currently starring in a new movie about Ip Man as well as a movie with John Woo. I admit it’s a left-field choice, but I think Hye-kyo could really deliver a demonstrative performance.
The Frenchman – Vincent Cassel: He might be known to most Americans for his role as a master thief in Ocean’s Twelve, but Cassel has a far deeper range that’s surprised me by not making him a big star in the U.S. already.
A-Train – Dane Cook: Although some might say Cook’s popularity has worn off against his peak five or six years ago, after seeing him in Louie and remembering his performance in Mr. Brooks I’d give him a second chance in the role of A-Train. I welcome your ire in the comments, iFanboyers.
Starlight – Alice Eve: More than just a love interest for Hughie, Starlight gives us our first inside look at The Boys‘ world’s leading super-hero team. I’d love to see Eve engaging in this role and seeing the mouth-agape shock at the antics of the Seven.
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Dane Cook as A-Train is brilliant and I love the idea of Guy Ritchie being the director.
Yeah Dane Cook would be great. A guy that’s easy to hate playing a guy that’s easy to hate.
The only one I have a problem with is Alice Eve – she looks too sexy to play Starlight. Annie is more like the girl next door.
I have never been so on board with something that does not exist!
Get Ryan McPartlin for the Homelander. After 5 years as Captain Awesome on Chuck, throw fans of his completely into left field showing his range as a sadistic sociopath with god-like powers.
Crowe as Butcher is pure genius. I was really drawing a blank for who I would put in that role but you were spot on with this one.
Russell Crowe is NOT Butcher. He’s a laughing stock here in Britain, not least because his accent in Robin Hood was so ridiculous and totally all over the shop.
Henry Rollins – he would struggle to persuade you he’s English, but he looks exactly right, like a double-hard bastard and he can perfectly convey the psychotic cruelty and placid calm that Butcher swings between.
Paddy Considine – he’d be perfect, check out his performance in Dead Man’s Shoes.
Ray Winstons, in a heartbeat, if he was 25 years younger.
Jason Statham would be bloody excellent.
Perhaps Tom Sizemore at a push, only he ain’t that healthy.
Rollins would definitely have the look and could probably pull it off, but I’m not sure if he has enough name recognition to headline this. Statham would be great. Vinnie Jones has the attitude, but again might not be a big enough name to get the part.
What about… Gerard Butler? I think I would be awesome in the part.
Chibs from Sons of Anarchy would be perfect. Thinking back, Butcher’s dialogue is always fairly London/cockney jack-the-ladish, but I don’t think anywhere it’s ever explicitly stated that he’s English.
Butcher’s an ex-para who served on the streets of Belfast and holds St Patrick’s day and Irish Americans in New York largely in contempt, which is consistent with a working class Scottish Protestant background; a great many of the army and SAS squaddies in Belfast were recruited from that background and the actor that guy that plays Chibs is perfect for it.
There’s a scene I remember where SoAMCRO has been stopped and surrounded by Northern Irish police on the take and Chibs removes his sunglasses, walks slowly and deliberately up to the lead cop, spits at his feet and looks him directly in the eye as he calls him a “Dirty…. loyalist… Bastard…” – that’s Butcher!
As much as I love Tommy Flanagan, he wouldn’t work for Butcher. He doesn’t have the look. Butcher’s kind of a meat-head jock type, like a linebacker almost. Flanagan’s too lanky.
I want Love Sausage to be in this!
Guy Ritchie would be awesome, but I think we’re stuck with McKay and that will probably be OK. Pegg HAS to be Hughie, or someone who looks like him. Cassell and Cook are AWESOME choices. Michael Clark Duncan for MM. Never heard of Alice Eve, she’s pretty but I don’t know her work. Get some Disney or Nickelodeon graduate that wants to make a name for herself as a grown-up.
I think Ving Rhames would be a better MM than Duncan. Has the look more, as well.
I think Gerard Butler would be a great Billy Butcher. Get him pumped like he was in 300 and he is perfect. Tom Hardy would be good for The Frenchman. Get Hardy, Butler, and then team them with Guy Ritchie and tell them to do what they did in RocknRolla (Guy’s best film) and take it to 11.
Dane Cook as A-Train would be perfect. He will not even have to act because being a douche is his milieu.
Michael Clark Duncan for the Deep.
All good choices except Russel Crowe, terrible, terrible choice. The guy is waaaay too dry for the role. Plus Crowe’s a short arse and you need someone with size and brash presense.
I can’t think of anyone who could bring the required mania, menace and humour better than Gerard Butler, plus he could pull of the ‘bit like Michael Caine’ voice better than most yank actors. As a cheaper option get the guy who played Frank Castle in Punisher Warzone.
Hughie Campbell – Simon Pegg is a easy one seeing as hughie was based on simon pegg any way the rest of the “cast” choice are also great – it would be awesome if they made the movie but lets face the facts even if they did they couldnt get it any where near the standard of the comic with the violence, sex and dark nastyness like trying to do a crossed film at same standard not gana hapen ennis is a very twisted and brilliant man suited to comics not movies as cant portray the same emotions