The Boys Star Antony Starr Won't Return As Homelander For New Project

Homelander won't sound like Antony Starr in the character's upcoming video game appearance. 

"The Boys" is one of the most prolific superhero-centric projects in recent memory. Based on Garth Ennis' comic series, it expertly deconstructs the myth of superhero selflessness, instead positioning the world's most powerful beings as selfish, narcissistic, and downright cruel celebrities. At the center of the show is Homelander, a diabolical riff on Superman. Played by Starr, Homelander has become a pop culture icon of sorts over the last few years, thanks to his devious actions and questionable decisions.

Arguably one of the most popular characters from "The Boys," it's no surprise that he's set to show up in "Mortal Kombat 1." The Warner Bros. Games project debuted earlier this year to critical acclaim — Looper sister site SVG gave the fighting game a 9/10 rating — and features several guest characters from various properties, a common occurrence for the franchise. Players can also fight as Omni-Man from "Invincible," Peacemaker from "The Suicide Squad" and the self-titled Max series, and Homelander. While NetherRealm Studios brought J. K. Simmons and John Cena on board to voice Omni-Man and Peacemaker, Starr has confirmed that he won't reprise his famous role in the game.

He shared the news in an Instagram comment when he was asked by user @vaguelyokay if he was voicing the character. "Nope," the actor candidly replied, failing to reveal the reason.

Homelander won't make his "Mortal Kombat 1" debut until later next year, but it's unclear why Antony Starr won't be voicing him. The decision is sort of surprising, considering he appeared as the villain in 2022's "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II." In that game, Homelander pops up in the multiplayer portion, alongside fellow "Boys" characters Starlight (Erin Moriarty) and Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell). For "MW II," Starr was brought on board to voice several phrases as the leader of the Seven. 

As expected, fans of "Mortal Kombat 1" and "The Boys" are disappointed to learn that Starr won't be heard in the game. "Honestly, if he isn't, I don't think it's gonna be that great," wrote Reddit user u/Thesleepingpillow123 on the r/MortalKombat subreddit. "[What's] the point then? They were able to get John Cena and J.K. Simmons, but not Starr? I find that flabbergasting," said user u/Blazerizm. 

In the past, the Mortal Kombat franchise has done an excellent job of securing A-list talent to reprise their roles as their most iconic characters. For example, Sylvester Stallone voiced Rambo in 2019's "Mortal Kombat 11." However, Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't portray The Terminator in that game, with the iconic villain character instead played by Chris Cox. While it's definitely disappointing that Starr isn't voicing Homelander for the latest Mortal Kombat, fans will see the character in the upcoming fourth season of "The Boys."