After bringing Garth Ennis’ Preacher to the screen with the upcoming AMC series, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Neal Moritz are tackling another dark and violent comic book by Ennis on cable television. Cinemax has put in development The Boys, from the Preacher team of Rogen and Goldberg’s Point Grey, Moritz’s Original Film and Sony TV.

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Developed by Rogen, Goldberg and Supernatural creator Eric Kripke, and to be written by Kripke based on the graphic novel written by Ennis and illustrated by Darick Robertson, the series is set in a time where most of the superheroes are corrupted by their celebrity status and often engage in reckless behavior, compromising the safety of the world. It centers on a CIA squad, known informally as “the boys,” whose job is to keep watch on the proliferation of superheroes and, if necessary, eliminate some of them. Rogen and Goldberg, who helmed the Preacher pilot, are set to direct.

Executive producing The Boys are Original Film’s Moritz, Pavun Shetty and Ori Marmur; Point Grey’s Rogen, Goldberg and James Weaver; Kripke; as well as Ken Levin and Kickstart’s Jason Netter (Preacher). Ennis and Robertson will serve as co-executive producers.

Like with Preacher, which had gone though numerous TV and feature incarnations over 16 years until it was finally made by AMC, The Boys also has had a long development history. Over the past eight years, it had been in the works as a movie at Columbia Pictures and Paramount.

At Cinemax, The Boys joins another drama adaptation of a dark comic, Robert Kirkman’s Outcast, which was picked up to series.

The Boys ran for 72 issues from 2008-2012, published initially by Wildstorm (#1-6) and then by Dynamite Entertainment.

In addition to The Boys, Kripke wrote and is executive producing with Shawn Ryan NBC/Sony TV’s time-travel drama series Time. In features, Rogen and Goldberg next have Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, which the two co-wrote and produce, with Rogan reprising his starring role from the original movie. Moritz also executive produces the NBC/Sony TV pilot Cruel Intentions and Syfy/Sony TV’s Roadside Picnic. Original Film’s upcoming features include the next installment in the Fast & Furious franchise and Passengers starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt.

Rogen and Goldberg are repped by UTA and Fred Toczek. Rogen is also managed by Marsha McManus. Original Films is repped by UTA and attorney Howard Abramson. Kripke is represented by WME.