Gen V stunt coordinator reveals some stunts were too extreme to do – even for The Boys
"I've been told a couple times, 'Dude, we can't do that!'"
Gen V and The Boys are known for their out-of-this-world stunt scenes full of explosions, blood, fight choreography and wirework.
RadioTimes.com was invited to try out some stunt work for ourselves during a very special day of training with Gen V and The Boys’ Emmy-winning stunt coordinator John Koyama to learn a sequence from season 2 of Gen V, which you can watch above.
During our exclusive chat, we ask Koyama how he continues to up the ante in the series that love to shock.
He explains: “My team and I will break down the writing and have meetings with Eric Kripke [who created The Boys and developed Gen V] and the writers to make sure we’re still staying within the story, the tone and the characters. It's really specific what we do.
“The creators of the shows have a lot of trust in me, so they let me have a big, open canvas where I can paint and do my thing. Sometimes I go too crazy and they're like, ‘Whoa.’ I've been told a couple times, ‘Dude, we can't do that!’ Now I know where the limit actually is on The Boys... I thought there were no limits!”
Can he reveal where that limit is?
“I can't really say, because sometimes we think of things and we’re told we can't do them, but we keep them in the bank, just in case... I don't want to spoil it – maybe they will be approved.”
He can confirm, though, that the stunts have “definitely levelled up for the rest of Gen V – it just gets bigger and crazier in storytelling and action”.
In season 2 of Gen V, there’s a new dean of Godolkin University, where young Supes learn to be heroes. Cipher's (Hamish Linklater) aim is to test the students’ powers to their limits, making them stronger than ever, with a particular interest in Marie Moreau’s (Jaz Sinclair) blood manipulation abilities.
As for the final season of The Boys, set to be released in 2026, “It’s gonna be epic and absolutely crazy and constant,” says Koyama. “While shooting, our saying was, ‘All gas, no brakes.’ We were all gas all the way down to the floor, no brakes all the way to the very last day.”
The cast do all of their own fight choreography in both series. “The only thing I take away from them, obviously, is dangerous stunts. It’s a Supe show, so you don't just get hit like a human, you go flying through walls and windows.”
Eric Kripke, creator of The Boys, always planned to end the series with season 5, where Homelander (Antony Starr) is now the leader of America, and there will no doubt be a huge showdown between Billy Butcher’s The Boys and The Seven.
You might also recognise Koyama from season 4 of The Boys, where he plays Ryan Butcher’s (Cameron Crovetti) stunt coach Koy during a staged rescue. Ryan unintentionally kills him when he throws him too hard against a building.
Gen V season 2 will continue on Prime Video on 15th October 2025. The Boys seasons 1-4 are available to watch now – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days.
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Authors
Laura Rutkowski is a Commissioning Editor at Radio Times magazine, where she looks after the View From My Sofa slot, and the "What it's like to…" column, which spotlights behind-the-scenes roles within the TV and film industry. She loves finding out how productions are made and enjoys covering a wide variety of genres. Laura is half-American and half-British and joined Radio Times in 2022. She has a degree in Psychology and a Master's in Magazine Journalism.
