‘The Boys’ fan-favorite spinoff quietly canceled as Prime Video shifts focus to live-action projects
It looks like ‘The Boys Presents: Diabolical’ has reached the end of its run. The animated anthology spinoff of Amazon’s hit superhero satire ‘The Boys’ has been quietly cancelled, according to new comments from creator Eric Kripke. The series, which premiered in 2022, featured eight standalone episodes, each told through a distinct animation style and voice cast. Upon release, ‘Diabolical’ earned widespread praise and a stellar 97% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, as per ScreenRant. Fans celebrated its creative freedom, sharp humor, and ability to expand ‘The Boys’ universe beyond its usual live-action chaos.
However, despite the rave reviews, it seems viewership didn’t quite match the enthusiasm of reviewers. Speaking with TheWrap, Kripke confirmed that there are currently no plans for a season 2, citing low audience numbers as the main reason for the show’s quiet demise. “I don’t think there’s going to be a Season 2 of ‘Diabolical,’” Kripke said. “It’s not for lack of us pushing. I think ultimately the viewer numbers weren’t there to justify a second season, sadly. Although we love it and Simon [Racioppa], the showrunner, would be game to do it, we haven’t gotten a go-ahead on that.”
Prime Video has yet to issue an official cancellation statement, but Kripke’s remarks all but confirm that ‘Diabolical’ won’t be returning. For many fans, the news doesn’t come as a complete surprise. The series has been absent from Prime Video’s updates since its debut three years ago. While the anthology never built up an ongoing story, it made an undeniable impact on the ‘Boys’ franchise. Each episode was self-contained, exploring different tones and perspectives within the corrupt superhero world dominated by Vought International.
The finale was the lone entry considered canon, chronicling Homelander’s early days with The Seven and hinting at the twisted origins of his partnership with Black Noir. Still, Diabolical’s cancellation doesn’t spell doom for ‘The Boys’ universe. Prime Video’s current focus is squarely on expanding its live-action empire. The main show recently wrapped production on Season 5, ‘Gen V’ Season 2 just released last month, and two new spinoffs (‘Vought Rising’ and ‘The Boys: Mexico’) are actively in development. With so much happening on the live-action front, ‘Diabolical’ seems to have been quietly pushed aside to make room for the franchise’s bigger, interconnected stories.
Even so, ‘Diabolical’ will likely be remembered fondly by fans for its bold experimentation. It proved that animation could bring something uniquely unfiltered to ‘The Boys’. For now, ‘The Boys Presents: Diabolical’ remains the franchise’s only animated entry, and it seems that future installments will stay grounded in live-action. Yet, as ‘The Boys’ continues to expand into a full-blown universe, there’s always a chance that the creative spark of ‘Diabolical’ could one day find its way back to screens.