The fifth and final season of The Boys has a release date and a new trailer, and it features a major casting surprise for long-time fans of showrunner Eric Kripke.Jared Padalecki, star of Kripke’s long-running series Supernatural, will appear in the final season, sharing the screen once again with his former co-star Jensen Ackles. The teaser trailer, revealed at CCXP Brazil, gives a first look at their on-screen reunion within the brutal world of The Boys.
The final chapter of the Prime Video hit will premiere with two episodes on April 8, 2026. New episodes will follow weekly, building toward the series finale on May 20, 2026. The season picks up in a world completely dominated by Homelander, with The Boys imprisoned and a desperate resistance forming against an overwhelming Supe force.
Jared Padalecki’s Role and Supernatural Reunion
The appearance of Jared Padalecki in the The Boys universe is a significant event for fans of Eric Kripke’s work. Padalecki and Jensen Ackles famously played the brothers Sam and Dean Winchester for 15 seasons on Kripke’s Supernatural. While Ackles joined The Boys in its third season as the legendary Supe Soldier Boy, Padalecki’s involvement is new for the final season.
Details about the character Padalecki will play are being kept secret. The brief scene in the teaser trailer shows Padalecki’s unnamed character walking into a room, followed by Soldier Boy and Homelander, hinting at a direct connection to the main storyline. Padalecki has confirmed that his character will appear in Season 5, Episode 5, describing it as a guest-starring role.
This casting is part of a broader Supernatural reunion for the final season. Misha Collins, who played the angel Castiel, has also joined the cast of The Boys Season 5. Eric Kripke, who created both Supernatural and The Boys, is now bringing these actors into his satirical superhero world for its climax.
Season 5 Storyline and What to Expect
The official description for the final season paints a dire picture. The world is now fully under the control of Homelander, who rules with his “erratic, egomaniacal whims”. Key members of The Boys—Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie—are locked away in a “Freedom Camp”. Annie, also known as Starlight, is trying to build a resistance but is vastly outnumbered by Homelander’s Supe army. The powerful Kimiko is missing.
The story shifts when Billy Butcher returns. He is prepared to use a dangerous virus designed to eliminate all Supes, a decision that starts a chain of events promising to change the world forever. As the official logline states, “It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen”.
Showrunner Eric Kripke has hinted that the final season will be “super big, apocalyptic” and that “there will probably be lots of death”. He has noted that with no need to save characters for a future season, the writers have the freedom to make big, shocking events happen.
Release Schedule and How to Watch
The final season of The Boys will be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. The release schedule is as follows:
| Episode Block | Release Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Episodes 1 & 2 | Tuesday, April 8 |
| Episode 3 | Tuesday, April 15 |
| Episode 4 | Tuesday, April 22 |
| Episode 5 | Tuesday, April 29 |
| Episode 6 | Tuesday, May 6 |
| Episode 7 | Tuesday, May 13 |
| Series Finale (Episode 8) | Tuesday, May 20 |
This weekly release pattern is consistent with previous seasons. The first episode of the season is titled “Fifteen Inches of Sheer Dynamite”.
Returning Cast and New Additions
The main cast from the series is returning for the final battle. This includes Karl Urban as Billy Butcher, Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell, and Antony Starr as Homelander. Erin Moriarty (Starlight), Jessie T. Usher (A-Train), Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk), Chace Crawford (The Deep), Tomer Capone (Frenchie), and Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko) are all back.
In addition to Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins, other confirmed returning actors include Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Daveed Diggs. The season will also see the return of Susan Heyward (Sister Sage) and Valorie Curry (Firecracker).
Connections to Gen V and The Boys Universe
The story of Season 5 is set about six months after the events of Gen V Season 2. The second season of the college-set spin-off concluded with story elements that directly lead into the final season of the main show. However, Kripke has managed expectations, suggesting that powerful Gen V character Marie Moreau will not simply appear as an easy solution to defeat Homelander, as she has not yet mastered her abilities.
While The Boys is ending, its universe will continue to expand. A prequel series titled Vought Rising is in development and will explore the early days of the Vought corporation. Another project, The Boys: Mexico, is also in the works, executive produced by Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal.
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