Amazon today announced that it has greenlit original one-hour superhero drama The Boys to series. The eight-episode Prime Original Series will be co-produced by Sony Pictures Television Studios and created and written by showrunner Eric Kripke (Supernatural), and directed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen (Preacher). The series will be executive produced by Kripke, Goldberg, Rogen, Original Film's Neal H. Moritz (Prison Break), Ori Marmur (Preacher) and Pavun Shetty (New Girl), as well as Point Grey Pictures' James Weaver (Preacher). Garth Ennis (Preacher) and Darick Robertson, who created the comic book on which the series is based, are also slated to co-executive produce. Here's what Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios, had to say in her statement.

"In a landscape saturated with superhero shows, The Boys is the next evolution in this popular genre. With Eric, Evan, Seth and Original Film all behind this series, we are excited to adapt this popular comic, from the visionary minds of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, for television."

In a world where superheroes embrace the darker side of their massive celebrity and fame, The Boys centers on a group of vigilantes known informally as "the boys," who set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty. The series is scheduled to begin filming in the spring of 2018 for a 2019 release. Here's what Chris Parnell, Co-President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, had to say about The Boys in his statement.

"We are very happy to have the unique opportunity to produce a second series based on the subversive and innovative world of Garth Ennis. And we are thankful to Sharon and her team at Amazon for their vision, partnership, and support."

We reported back in April 2016 that Seth Rogen was bringing The Boys to Cinemax, with the comic book series being put into development at the cable network. The Boys was also once set to be adapted into a feature film, with Sony's Columbia Pictures picking up the rights in 2008 and setting writers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (R.I.P.D., The Invitation) set to write the screenplay. Adam McKay was once attached to direct with Neal H. Moritz producing, but the feature adaptation never moved out of development. The same creative team was in place at Cinemax, although now this series seems to have finally found a proper home at Amazon.

This will not be the Amazon streaming service's first foray into the comic book realm, with their The Tick starring Peter Serafinowicz, debuting in August. The Boys will be available using the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit http://www.amazon.com/howtostream.?tag=movieweb-23-20&ascsubtag=UUmwUeUpU136308&asc_refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmovieweb.com%2Fthe-boys-tv-series-amazon-seth-rogen%2F&asc_campaign=Short-Term The series will be a global release for members to watch via the Prime Video app or online at PrimeVideo.com in more than 200 countries and territories. Hopefully we'll have more on The Boys casting in the near future.