"The Mileage, Not the Years": Karl Urban on the High-Stakes Conclusion of The Boys

Kiwi star Karl Urban discusses Billy Butcher’s final stand in The Boys Season 5, the physical demands of filming, and his upcoming lead role in Mortal Kombat II.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 4:25 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

The Evolution of Billy Butcher

Throughout the series, Butcher’s singular focus was the destruction of the narcissistic "superhero" Homelander, played by fellow New Zealander Antony Starr. However, as the show concludes, Urban notes that Butcher has realized the rot is systemic—an "experiment gone wrong" that mirrors the lack of control humans often face with rapid technological advancement.

Urban draws a sharp comparison between the show's "Compound V" (the serum that creates superheroes) and the current threshold of Artificial Intelligence. He likens the unchecked development of AI to the Manhattan Project, noting that while scientists feared igniting the atmosphere, they proceeded anyway. This sense of "unpredictable aggression" is a theme that Butcher now battles both internally and externally.

The Physicality of the Antihero

Known for his roles in massive franchises like Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, and Judge Dredd, Urban is no stranger to the physical "slog" of action-heavy productions. He credits Emmy Award-winning stunt coordinator John Koyama for the show’s high-octane sequences but admits that maintaining his body over six-to-seven-month filming periods is taxing.

Quoting Indiana Jones, Urban jokes, "It’s not the years, it's the mileage." Despite the physical toll, he emphasizes that the "character-driven adventure" is what keeps both the cast and the audience engaged. The camaraderie between him and Starr which first drew him to the project remains a cornerstone of the show's success.