The world of The Boys has expanded beyond the original series via multiple spinoffs (some of which have aired, are airing, and still in development). The biggest offshoot thus far is undoubtedly Gen V, which has wrapped its second season - a second season that has left the franchise in a very interesting place ahead of the final season of The Boys.
The show's young heroes have faced a number of obstacles throughout the second season, with the larger-than-life Godolkin twist changing the course of the season in its penultimate episode. Some saw it coming, while some did not - but everyone was stunned by how it played out. And that's how you know you have a good twist on your hands.
That being said, with season 2 concluding, what do the prospects look like for a potential third season of the spinoff?
Eric Kripke has plans for Gen V season 3 but Prime Video hasn't officially greenlit it yet
Amazon's Prime Video service is currently building out its The Boys universe, but it's also going to have to do that without the mothership series. The Boys itself is going to conclude next year with its fifth and final season which would theoretically leave Gen V as the veteran show of this franchise (as none of the other spinoffs, Vought Rising and The Boys: Mexico have premiered yet). But the question is, are there plans for more of Gen V?
The simple answer is yes, as franchise boss Eric Kripke recently confirmed that there are indeed plans for Gen V season 3. The more complicated answer is that it all relies on whether Prime Video decides to renew it for another run. As Kripke reveals to The Wrap, it all depends on viewership:
"We have a plan for Gen V Season 3, and we’re psyched about it, but we need enough viewers to watch Season 2 to justify Season 3. Now’s the time that they’re paying attention to the numbers. So don’t watch even a year from now. Turn on Prime and watch it now. If enough people watch then we’ll get a Season 3."
Now, as daunting as this might sound fresh off watching a finale with no official word on whether the show will return for more episodes, it's commonplace when it comes to TV. After all, a show has to be successful to warrant further seasons. And the good news is that The Boys franchise has proven to be extremely successful for Prime Video. Even Gen V's first season renewal was a sign of that.
There were some initial concerns that the show didn't generate as much conversation early on in its second season when compared to the first, but it has certainly picked up in the weeks since - with the jaw-dropping Godolkin twist in the penultimate episode leaving viewers stunned. It has also performed well on Prime Video since it dropped, charting high in the daily Top 10 - particularly towards the second half of its run when it wasn't competing with the juggernaut that is The Summer I Turned Pretty.
It was previously confirmed that Gen V season 2 would be crucial to the final season of The Boys, and it's clear to see that it has lived up to that promise. The hope is that it doesn't just set up a future installment of the original series and that it also gets the chance to lay the foundations for a potential third season.
The franchise is continuing to build itself out - which is what Kripke and Prime Video are very keen on continuing. Kripke confirms that the current method of judging Gen V's success by its numbers is also how the streamer will be judging the Vought Rising spinoff. But still, the creative boss has ideas for the second season of that one, too:
"We have plans for a Season 2, if we can. [Prime Video have] been nothing but supportive, and they’re giving us our opportunities. But it’s a business and we also have to deliver. So hopefully the audience shows up."
Here's hoping that the audience does just that and allows Gen V to happen in the near-future. You know the fans want it!