John Koyama, the stunt coordinator, meticulously designs every fight sequence for “The Boys” by creating a mock-up with cardboard, filming a preview to showcase the anticipated havoc.
He comments, “You seem to employ cardboard boxes for your backdrop, and you utilize cardboard accessories. In essence, it appears like a world made of cardboard.
Once, a regular coffee cup from Tim Hortons was transformed into a machine gun. This amusing transformation caught the attention of ‘Supernatural’ showrunner Eric Kripke and ended up being incorporated into an episode of the series, which offers a humorous take on the entertainment industry. In this episode, the characters known as “supes” – short for superheroes – practiced a scene alongside Koyama himself.
or
In one instance, a coffee container from Tim Hortons was imaginatively changed into a machine gun. This creative twist sparked the interest of ‘Supernatural’ showrunner Eric Kripke, leading him to include it in an episode of the show that humorously portrays the entertainment world. In this episode, characters called “supes” – short for superheroes – rehearsed a scene together with Koyama himself.
Koyama finds it really impressive because he acknowledges the work done by our stunt team,” Koyama comments. There’s a great deal of appreciation between them. As we move into the fourth season of the grisly Prime Video series, Kripke relies heavily on what Koyama, often known as Koy, contributes. Initially, Kripke would provide intricate directions about how fights should be choreographed. Now, he allows Koyama to let his creativity flow freely.
Koyama isn’t left unchallenged by the writers; for example, in episode two, the vigilante group called The Boys find themselves battling against a supe named Splinter (Rob Benedict), who possesses the ability to clone himself. This fight leads them to a bat mitzvah, where Splinter and his numerous duplicates wind up in a rather embarrassing situation – they all end up naked.
As a gamer immersed in this project, I found myself at the heart of a scene that demanded an abundance of Visual Effects (VFX). This meant collaborating closely with the set decoration and construction teams, as the fight sequence led to a substantial amount of destruction. However, the most daunting aspect of this endeavor was tracking down performers who were open to shedding layers – a task that proved to be quite challenging.
Koyama clarifies, ‘We were meticulously searching through all of Canada.’ This is precise because when selecting a stunt double, it’s crucial that they match not only in size but also in bone structure, even with clothing on.
Koyama had to be meticulous with the staging of the fight due to its explicit content. Normally, doubles might use elbow and knee pads for protection, but in this instance, they were left unprotected.
According to Koyama, they’re engaged in a battle while tumbling and soaring through the air. He discusses the explicitness of the encounter, involving body movements, and how far one can push boundaries. (It should be noted that the participants were wearing prosthetics to conceal their genitals.)
In even the most absurd conflicts, Koyama strives to maintain a sense of realism in the action. Simultaneously, Kripke prefers combat scenes to be gritty and spontaneous rather than too polished or contrived. Unlike the John Wick films with their choreographed gunfights reminiscent of ballets, Kripke aims for a different visual style in The Boys.
Koyama is particularly skilled in handling intense or rough conflicts, as demonstrated by an instance mentioned by Kripke where The Deep (played by Chace Crawford) forcefully propels Annie (Erin Moriarty) towards the ceiling, only for her to land safely on a desk.
Kripke remarks, ‘It’s merely manipulation of wires.’ Yet, Koyama’s aggressive collisions with objects and the swiftness with which he and his wire crew calculate these impacts make you cringe, and that’s precisely what they aim for.
Koyama shares strong bonds with the show’s cast, several of whom perform their own stunts. In the fourth season, he became part of this team by portraying “Koy,” a stunt coordinator whose character tragically meets his end after being hurled into a building by a powerful force. Although the character bears Koyama’s name, Amazon made him audition for the role.
Luckily, he landed the part.
Originally published as a solo issue in The Hollywood Reporter’s June edition, you can get hold of this article by subscribing to their magazine here. (To subscribe, click here)
Read More
2025-06-11 20:54