It seems like every franchise is hopping on the cinematic universe bandwagon (thanks Marvel), but I'm yet to see a production company do it better than Vought Studios. The fictional movie megacorp from the hit TV series The Boys has unveiled its extensive Vought Cinematic Universe (VCU), in a hilarious parody of Hollywood's favourite oversaturated film franchise trend.
The playful collection of fake films is surprisingly detailed, poking fun at some of the most renowned superhero movie logos from across the years. With blockbuster films featuring beloved Boys' characters like Homelander, Black Noir and Tek Knight, ironically it's one of the only cinematic universes I'd be invested in (if only out of curiosity for 'The Deep: Gods and Dolphins').
I’m live in the #V52 convention center right now! They just gave everyone free DAWN OF THE SEVEN caps and a bottle of milk each, what could that mean?!? 👀 https://t.co/kDKkjUBKReJune 27, 2024
It all started when X account Discussing Film tweeted "Our live coverage of the #V52Expo is about to begin." announcing hilarious details about the spoof productions. Soon a VCU timeline, chronicling phases 7-10 of the movie corp's masterplan was released, revealing the extensive collection of ridiculous fake films.
Silliness aside, the designs each carry a sense of personality that expertly captures the essence of modern superhero movie logo design. This playful realism was integral to series showrunner Eric Kripke who worked closely on the project to develop a hilarious and detailed cinematic universe. "You can't imagine the effort we put into this one shot, I was obsessed. I wanted to be able the describe the plot of every one, with legit graphic design," he shared on X.
Hi-rez image of @VoughtIntl upcoming slate. You can't imagine the effort we put into this one shot, I was obsessed. I wanted to be able the describe the plot of every one, with legit graphic design. See for yourself, EPISODE FIVE IS LIVE!! #TheBoys @TheBoysTV @PrimeVideo pic.twitter.com/hMioiJTR2CJune 27, 2024
‘THE DEEP: SECRETS OF ATLANTIS’ is underway at @VoughtIntl. • Deep says the script "sucked him in" & he "couldn't put it down until completion." • All filming will take place underwater, with Deep expected to break Kate Winslet’s record for most time on screen without a… pic.twitter.com/VcRSJCDTgiJune 27, 2024
Fans soon realised that the influx of bizarre films was fake, with many playing into the ridiculousness. "Not enough phases revealed ?!? I don’t subscribe to Vought+ premium for nothing," one X user commented. "The MCU walked so the VCU could run," another tweeted while one fan commented "Wow, Vought's VCU is expanding faster than Homelander's ego! Can't wait to see what Phase 11 brings."
Today at #V52, Vought is proud to welcome The Guardians of Godolkin, Cate Dunlap and Sam Riordan. Since they heroically saved the lives of hundreds of students on campus, they’ve been hard at work on their first Vought Studios film, FLIPPED. They even have a new official logo! pic.twitter.com/aWHlzzmODqJune 27, 2024
No Black Noir: Insurrection 2, VCU fell off https://t.co/k6uNO0HCQqJune 27, 2024
From the very beginning, the marketing for The Boys has been delightfully silly while feeling unique and fresh. It's great to see productions getting creative with their promo, engaging with fans and embracing a less generic approach to movie marketing.
This isn't the first example we've seen of an MCU parody, the infamous 'Poohniverse: monsters assemble' managed to traumatise me a few months ago with its extensive list of childhood-ruining productions. If you're looking for more logo design inspiration, check out our collection of the best fictional brands.
