Ever since The Boys debuted on Prime Video, it has left its mark on the superhero genre. For a style that was running all over the place and feeling no different from each other, The Boys refreshed the genre a lot. The show’s satire on the genre and real-world events brought some originality. And its graphic nature was a huge factor as to why the show is so captivating. It brought a whole new perspective to what it is like to be a superhero, and of course, the brilliant performances all around. The season four finale just dropped and the future is known for the show, next season will be the last. There are some spin-offs that will keep the universe alive but as for The Boys, it will end. Mother’s Milk actor, Laz Alonso, has an idea for the show to end with a huge bang. That has the support of Antony Starr; both want the show to end with a big screen send-off. But will that be the right thing for the show?

Having a show end its run on the big screen isn’t new. The Mandalorian will do it. Firefly ended its beloved run with the film Serenity.  So, The Boys, if it goes this route, will be another inclusion in this type of strategy. It is a good one because more money and resources are put into a project. Ideally, that leads to something that is exceptional. For properties that have so much passion revolving around them, it makes sense to make sure everything can be utilized to ensure that passion is rewarded, especially if the project will be the last. Generally, there’s just more buzz leading up to a movie. That leads to hype and anticipation which will draw in more people. For a show that has taken the spotlight from a genre that started its dominance in the theaters, it’ll be poetic for the show to step into that territory and continue its success. The Boys has done a great job of telling a captivating story without the overreliance on a big budget to show off big cinematic fights and scenes. The writers have been able to do that with grounded elements and cerebral, clever ways. On the other hand, it will be awesome to finally see all these characters use the full extent of their powers. Even with all the superhero projects that have come out, very few have explored the realistic, full extent of these powers. Deadpool and some scenes with Wolverine have done this but it’s always fun to see that explosiveness from other characters. Invincible is another superhero project that has explored this and is the only one that has done it successfully, realistically, and consistently. Since everyone is waiting for that to jump to live action, it’s up to The Boys to show the brutal nature of superheroes going to the extremes their superpowers allow. The backing of a huge movie will allow audiences to see Homelander really cut loose.

On the other hand, though, The Boys being on Prime Video has helped. Because there’s a different amount of freedom being on a streaming service, the show could have so much of it, that is the graphic spirit. On top of approaching superheroes with a political, corporate, and grounded perspective, the show leans on violence, with shock and awe moments. Perhaps more than anything, it’s the heavily mature content that makes The Boys so special. It is part of the show’s DNA. It’s one of the strongest foundations.  Being on a smaller platform allows for more room. But since there’s a bit more restriction with film, some of that will have to be toned down. That would be a huge letdown since that sheer amount of graphic content is a huge part of the show’s appeal. It shouldn’t be sacrificed just because it’s being adapted into a film. The Deadpool movies are the closest ones that match the tone of The Boys and those movies do get away with a lot.  However, those moments are mostly used for comedic purposes.  All those moments in The Boys dial up the craziness to whole new levels and take a much more realistic approach. Perhaps ways that will test the rating systems. And to give this film a green light, that type of content will have to be heavily toned down. Again, part of the show’s spirit will have to be sacrificed just to appease. For a story that is writing its last chapter, every appealing factor needs to be at its full strength. And, The Boys has done such a great job in succeeding as a superhero show while superhero movies have been faulty. The Boys have matched the success, the appeal, and the quality of all these big movies – at times, surpassing them – without the big budget of a film. To end its run in a movie will perhaps defeat that ‘underdog’ aura. Successful and acclaimed shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, and Succession had impressive runs but never made that leap. If The Boys were to make that leap it goes against the show’s meta satire of the superhero genre. It proves a superhero show is much better than superhero movies at a time when superhero movies still have a strong hold on Hollywood.

There could be some type of middle ground though. Given that The Boys has been hugely successful among fans, critics, and Prime, there is reason to believe that Prime will multiply the show’s budget next season since it’s the last.  That could open up the opportunity to have the flare of a film with bigger action sequences, and lengthen the last episode passed the one-hour norm. Or keep it normal and give it a theatrical release, but The Boys needs to end where it started. Prime has given the writers lots of freedom to do whatever they want. Again, film ratings and restrictions could limit that. Why end something that had a great run in an environment that could hinder it?  It would be awesome to see Homelander do his thing on a big screen on a bigger budget but at that point, the show will go for more flare rather than substance. The Boys have proven that could do lots with little. The Boys need to stay as a show.