SAN DIEGO, July 26 (Reuters) - A prequel of the Prime

Video series "The Boys," called "Vought Rising," was

announced at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday and will star Jensen

Ackles and Aya Cash.

"The Boys" series executive producer Paul Grellong will be

both executive producer and showrunner for "Vought Rising."

Ackles also said he will return as his character Soldier Boy

for Season 5 of "The Boys."

Superhero show "The Boys" follows a team of misfit

vigilantes who fight corrupt super-powered people called

"Supes."

The show's panel had a lively start with a comedic live

musical performance of songs from the show, actor Jeffrey Dean

Morgan throwing up his middle finger on stage, and a teaser

trailer for Season 2 of the spin-off "Gen V" at the annual pop

culture convention.

Jessie T. Usher, who plays the speedster named A-Train,

joined performers briefly on stage to perform a rap.

Clips were projected on screen while performers sang,

including the Season 4 song "Let's Put the Christ Back in

Christmas" from "The Boys'" parody of "Disney on Ice."

"In case you didn't know these guys, (they are) world-class

Broadway performers," said Morgan, who moderated the panel and

stars as CIA analyst Joe Kessler in Season 4.

He playfully honored the musical composer with a

middle-finger gesture, echoing the show's crude humor.

The Season 4 main cast took the stage, including Antony

Starr, who plays Homelander, the petty leader of the "Supes,"

Jack Quaid, Erin Moriarty, Chace Crawford, Laz Alonso, Tomer

Capone, Usher and Karen Fukuhara.

The show's creator Eric Kripke was also on the panel.

Season 5, which premieres in 2026, will be the series' last

season as part of show director Kripke's vision for the

comic-book adaptation.

The popular series also spawned the animated series "The

Boys Presents: Diabolical."

Stars have returned to the San Diego Comic-Con after the

2023 writers and actors strikes led to a subdued event last

year, with no A-list celebrities or Hall H panels, which are

known for delivering some of the biggest industry news.