| “ | ” |
Adam Bourke is a supporting character in the Amazon series The Boys and a recurring character in its spin-off series, Gen V. He is the director of Dawn of the Seven.
The Boys Series[]
Season Two[]
In the third episode, Adam pitches his origin story script to The Seven in the absence of Homelander and gets some harsh feminist notes from Stormfront. By the fifth episode, filming has started after a rewrite by Joss Whedon, which he still seems ticked off about, bitching passive-aggressively at Stormfront.
Season Three[]
Adam shows his new film, Dawn of the Seven, at a Vought premiere event. He ends up having very aggressive sex with Ashley Barrett in the bathroom of the event.
Gen V[]
Season One[]
After exposing himself to Minka Kelly, Adam Bourke gets kicked out of the high life and has been relegated to teaching acting classes at Godolkin University's Crimson Countess School of Performing Arts.
During the insurrection on campus, Adam is teaching his class when Sam Riordan interrupts him. Sam attempts to choke him to death before Emma Meyer stops him and tells him to let go.
Adam rushes to a barricaded meeting room in which Ashley and some Goldokin University trustees are hiding. He, Ashley, and the trustees retreat to a wrecked but enclosed helicopter cabin and stay there until the insurrection ends.
Season Four[]
In the aftermath of the Godolkin Incident, Bourke appears to have returned to directing movies for Vought. He is first seen at the helm of the biographical drama “Training A-Train” where he once again appears egotistical and out of touch, encouraging A-Train to act in line with negative African-American Stereotypes and showing a clear bias towards Will Ferrell. To whom he enthusiastically predicts an Oscar Nomination.
Later Bourke proposes an upcoming project to Ryan and Homelander, a Superhero School TV show starring Ryan as the lead. While Bourke is greatly enthused about the potential revenue and publicity the show could generate, Ryan is reluctant to star in a children’s show and refuses in spite of Bourke’s protests that production has already started. Homelander, sensing an opportunity to embolden Ryan and shape his views on Supe supremacy, asks Ryan if he wants anything from Bourke. Ultimately forcing Bourke to give up his wallet and the keys to his Jaguar before leaving the meeting.
In his most recent on-screen appearance, Bourke is confronted by Ryan and Homelander for his behavior towards his Personal Assistant Bonnie, whom he has been sexually harassing over the course of the series. Taking advantage of Ryan’s noble intentions and Bonnie’s repressed anger at Bourke, Homelander encourages the two to humiliate Bourke, culminating with Bonnie vengefully slapping Bourke while Ryan and Homelander watch with glee.
In the Season 4 finale it is revealed that after A-Train’s betrayal, “Training A-Train” has been cancelled and written off despite the film being completed. Presumably causing further complications for Bourke’s return to directing.
Trivia[]
- Adam Bourke is based on director Zack Snyder. Snyder's 2017 film Justice League, a film about a team of superheroes coming together to defend Earth from all kinds of threats, suffered extensive executive interference and behind the scenes troubles which eventually led to a recut of the film titled Zack Snyder's Justice League otherwise known as the Snyder Cut. Similarly, Dawn of the Seven faced production troubles with Bourke later releasing the Bourke Cut which added new footage including a recasting of Stormfront as a villain after her identity as a Nazi was exposed to the public.
- Bourke’s history of sexual misconduct on set could also be seen as referencing the culture in Hollywood productions fostered by producers such as Harvey Weinstein.
- His conversation with A-Train is likely a reference to director Joss Whedon, who was alleged to have acted in a similar fashion towards Ray Fisher on the set of 2017’s Justice League.