The Other Guys director Adam McKay has offered an update regarding the status of his adap of gritty comic The Boys.



The original comic is a brilliant, filthy deconstruction of superhero culture full to bursting with swearing, nudity and bloody violence.



The titular Boys are bad-ass mofos who are tasked with policing superheroes and villains – and using any force necessary.



But it’s precisely that meaty premise that means turning comic writer Garth Ennis’ concept into a marketable, profitable film is a difficult task.



As McKay says: “You really have to wait until the draft is done to get serious about it, plus it’s like a $100 million, rated-R, anti-superhero movie, so we have to see who bites on it.”



Still, he has ideas about who he wants to cast in the film, with Russell Crowe a favourite for team leader Billy Butcher.



“I’ve sat with some people. I really like the idea of Russell Crowe for [ Billy ] Butcher,” the director says. “We met and had kind of an interesting meeting.”