“The Boys ”Showrunner Eric Kripke Says 'I'm Gonna Be a Mess' Following Fifth and Final Season: ‘We Really Are a Family’ (Exclusive)

"I'm really grateful and happy that I get to end the show on our terms," Kripke tells PEOPLE

Eric Kripke knows that The Boys will eventually come to an end, but that's something he doesn't want to think about anytime soon.

The showrunner spoke to PEOPLE days after the Prime Video series released its season 4 finale, and opened up about his "bittersweet" feelings toward the upcoming fifth season.

"I'm really grateful and happy that I get to end the show on our terms," Kripke tells PEOPLE on Friday, July 26, at San Diego Comic-Con.

Related: The Boys Season 5: Everything to Know About the Series’ Final Installment After You Finish Season 4

"That's really rare. Frankly, it's the first time I've been able to do it," he adds. "So it just really, it really is exciting for the creative. But I'm also sad. I genuinely love this cast. We really are a family. I'm successfully blocking it for now, but like when we all eventually go our separate ways, I'm gonna be a mess."

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While the satirical superhero series' final season hasn't been given a release date, Kripke previously told Variety that it is expected to be filmed between November 2024 and mid-2025.

Related: The Boys Adds 'Political Violence' Warning to Season 4 Finale Episode After Trump Assassination Attempt

With filming just a few months away, he tells PEOPLE that he's going into it with a gratitude mindset.

"What I'll say to all the actors is try to absorb [and] enjoy every moment, and drink it in, and be present for it every day because, you know, it's not gonna happen again. We're going in for one last ride," he says.

Fans can expect to see the main cast from season 4 return, including Jack Quaid, Karl Urban, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Karen Fukuhara, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Kripke, who previously expressed interest in having Supernatural alumJared Padalecki join season 5 — an invitation Padalecki has expressed interest in — also tells PEOPLE what his role may look like.

"I, I mean, I want him to be a supe. I think that - I mean, he's so jacked. How could I not have him be a supe? But I don't know whether it'll be for one episode or more episodes. We don't really know yet, but I'm hopeful that he's a superhero," he says.

A prequel to The Boys was also announced at the convention centered around the characters Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) and Stormfront (Aya Cash). The upcoming series, titled Vought Rising, does not have a release date. A second season of Gen V was also announced with Crawford's character The Deep crossing over.

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The Boys season 4 is now streaming on Prime Video.

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