Seth Rogen has admitted he isn't a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but is grateful for its success because it allows mature superhero shows like The Boys to exist.
Speaking to Total Film, The Boys executive producer said that, while he has always loved comic books, he finds that Marvel Cinematic Universe films are geared towards kids and so doesn't enjoy them himself.
Their prominence as more family friendly entries allows space for a counter movement to exist, however, Rogen said, allowing for mature superhero stories like The Boys to rise in popularity too.
"I think that Kevin Feige is a brilliant guy, and I think a lot of the filmmakers he's hired to make these movies are great filmmakers. But as someone who doesn't have children, it is [all] kind of geared towards kids," he said.
When The Boys comic was released, Rogen said he and fellow executive producer Evan Goldberg "had the same experience that I think, now, audiences are having, which is: 'Oh, we've been reading Marvel for the last 15 years and now there's starting to be stuff like this, which is a great addition to this landscape.'
"It's [the same genre] but not considering younger audiences in the slightest. If anything, it's much more geared towards adult audiences."
Rogen continued: "I think just as naturally to us as The Boys fell into the comic book store landscape as a comic, we thought it would fall well into the media landscape as a TV show. But truthfully, without Marvel, The Boys wouldn't exist or be interesting. I'm aware of that."
First released in 2019, The Boys centres around a CIA task force who must fight to keep the world's superheroes in check.
It sets a darker tone for its world full of superheroes through episode like the aptly titled Herogasm, and the upcoming Season 4 promises "the most disgusting thing" producer Stephan Fleet has ever seen in television.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
