Following the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump, Amazon Prime Video has added a disclaimer to the season finale of its superhero satire "The Boys," condemning any real-world violence and assuring viewers that the fictional assassination scenes do not reflect the producers' views.
Amazon Prime Video has taken a strong stand against political violence by adding a disclaimer to the season finale of its hit show "The Boys." The move comes after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last Saturday, which left one person dead and two others seriously wounded.
The disclaimer, which appears before the episode, reads:
Amazon Prime Video Condemns Political Violence in Wake of Trump Assassination Attempt
"The season finale of 'The Boys' contains scenes of fictional political violence, which some viewers may find disturbing, especially in light of the injuries and tragic loss of life sustained during the assassination attempt on former President Trump. Prime Video noted that the newest season of the violent, superhero satire was filmed in 2023 and any similarities to real-world events are 'coincidental and unintentional.' Amazon, Sony Picture Television and the producers of 'The Boys' reject, in the strongest terms, real-world violence of any kind."
The episode, originally titled "Assassination Run," has been renamed to "The Boys Season 4 Finale." It features an assassination attempt against the show's president-elect. The episode's release with a new title reflects the producers' sensitivity to the real-world tragedy.
Amazon Prime Video Condemns Political Violence in Wake of Trump Assassination Attempt
Season five of "The Boys" will be the show's final installment. Showrunner Eric Kripke has been outspoken about his opposition to Trump, and "The Boys" has been described by critics and fans as an unsubtle allegory criticizing Trumpism and right-wing politics.
"I clearly have a perspective, and I’m not shy about putting that perspective in the show," Kripke told The Hollywood Reporter. "Anyone who wants to call the show ‘woke’ or whatever, that’s OK. Go watch something else. But I’m certainly not going to pull any punches or apologize for what we’re doing."
Amazon Prime Video Condemns Political Violence in Wake of Trump Assassination Attempt
Last Saturday's assassination attempt against Trump also caused Channel 4 in the UK to pull an episode of "The Simpsons." The episode "Lisa the Iconoclast" follows Lisa as she attempts to tell Springfield residents the truth about her hometown's founder. At one point, a law enforcement officer can be seen aiming at her as she stands at a podium.
This is not the first time a television show has been pulled or altered because of real-world events. The Joss Whedon supernatural drama "Buffy the Vampire" postponed two episodes of its third season that involved school violence in the aftermath of the Columbine massacre. The "Hannibal" series starring Mads Mikkelsen completely removed its fourth episode following the Sandy Hook shooting. The episode never aired on television but has since been placed on streaming platforms. The plot involved a woman who was manipulating kids to murder their families.
By adding the disclaimer to the season finale of "The Boys," Amazon Prime Video is sending a clear message that it will not tolerate or condone any form of real-world violence. It is also a reminder that even fictional violence can have a profound impact on viewers, especially in the wake of a tragedy like the assassination attempt on Trump.
