With The Boys entering its fifth and final season in 2026, the show can allow actor Jack Quaid to portray a fully-fledged action hero as Hughie Campbell. Quaid has proven he has what it takes to perform in the more action-heavy scenes of the show, as seen in his latest blockbuster, Novocaine. Quaid plays an accountant born with an insensitivity to pain in Novocaine, giving him the ability to hold his own in several gory and inventive fight scenes.

After scoring an 81% Certified Fresh rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Novocaine has understandably become a streaming hit since its release on Paramount+. Novocaine‘s newfound popularity has illustrated that Jack Quaid can helm a successful, hardcore action film. However, it has also shown that he can and should become a hardcore action hero in The Boys season 5.

Jack Quaid Has Some Of His Best-Ever Action Scenes In Novocaine

Quaid Proved He Can Be An Action Star Playing Nathan Caine

Although Quaid performs multiple fight scenes in The Boys, as his character is a regular human, he lacks the powers or physical strength to do much. In a world filled with super-powered heroes and villains, Hughie is distinctive as a hero without any special skills or strength. He briefly gains superpowers in the show by using a special serum, but overall, he isn’t much of a fighter. It’s usually other characters who take charge of the fighting in The Boys.

Meanwhile, Novocaine gives Quaid more opportunities to showcase his combat skills as he takes on armed robbers and hulking thugs. Though everyman Nathan Caine is an awkward, inexperienced fighter, he holds his own quite well out in the field, particularly thanks to his insensitivity to pain in the film. Quaid plays Nathan quite well, with the latter delivering some gruesome and creative blows using a knife in his hand, glᴀss in his fists, and even his own exposed arm bone.

Novocaine Shows Jack Quaid Could Handle More Action In The Boys Season 5

Quaid Should Be Able To Show Off More Of His Fighting Skills In The Boys Season 5

With the success of Novocaine in theaters and on streaming, Quaid has shown us, particularly in the movie’s fight scenes, that he has the skills and experience to become a true action star in similar projects. Quaid revealed that his role in Novocaine required constant rehearsing, training, and working with stunt coordinators to perform the intense fights, giving him more experience and insight into starring in action movies (via Men’s Health).

Quaid also claimed that this training to star in Novocaine put him in the “best shape of his life.” While that physique is allegedly gone, he can surely achieve it again in the future. Perhaps after training for the role of Nathan, he may decide to pursue more action-heavy roles, particularly as Hughie in The Boys season 5.

However, depending on when The Boys season 5 takes place, making Hughie into an ultra-cool fighter all of a sudden could be quite jarring for viewers of the show. The writers for The Boys could still incorporate more and better action sequences for Hughie that show off Quaid’s action skills in the new season. Whether by giving his character powers again or pitting him against an opponent one-on-one, The Boys season 5 can make Hughie into the kind of hard-hitting hero seen in Novocaine and better display Quaid’s talents as an actor.

Even if Hughie doesn’t get the chance to shine in more action scenes in The Boys’ final outing, Novocaine is the perfect film for those who want to see Jack Quaid as a mild-mannered, crime-fighting, ultraviolent superhero. Nathan gets tossed and thrashed around a lot by his foes in the film, but Quaid shows that he can wow audiences as a fighter in this unconventional action movie, making him an ideal actor for other projects in the genre.

Source: Men’s Health