The Boys has confirmed the return of Jensen Ackles for season five, as well as a new prequel show.
The actor surprised fans on stage during the show's Comic-Con panel on Friday (July 26), where he announced his anticipated return as Soldier Boy for the show's final season (via Deadline).
He also teased the upcoming prequel, titled Vought Rising, which he branded a "lurid pulp saga".
The new series, which will be set in 1950s New York, also provides a background to Aya Cash's character Stormfront.
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Stormfront was Frederick Vought's first successful test subject for Compound V. She is also a member of The Seven with plasma-based abilities.
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Meanwhile, Soldier Boy was Vought's first American non-aging Supe, who possesses superhuman strength and can generate radiation.
"We are excited to bring you the next deranged series from the world of The Boys," said executive producers Paul Grellong and Eric Kripke in a statement.
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"It's a twisted murder mystery about the origins of Vought in the 1950s, the early exploits of Soldier Boy, and the diabolical manoeuvres of a Supe known to fans as Stormfront, who was then going by the name Clara Vought."
They concluded: "We cannot wait to blow your minds and trouble your souls with this salacious, grisly saga drenched in blood and Compound V."
Vought Rising is the latest addition to The Boys franchise. Other spinoffs include The Boys Presents: Diabolical, The Boys: Mexico and college-set series Gen V – which is currently filming its second season.
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Before we delve into Soldier Boy's backstory, the character will first appear in The Boys' fifth and final season.
"We can announce that Soldier Boy will be a regular in season five," announced Kripke. "The motherf**ker's back."
Ackles first appeared as a series regular in season three, but he didn't appear in season four until the final episode's post-credits scene.
The Boys seasons 1-4 are available to watch on Prime Video now.
Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.
