Few filmmakers have a story as wild and enduring as Troy Duffy’s. One of the most storied figures to emerge from the ’90s indie film scene, he was a Boston bartender turned filmmaker who exploded onto the landscape with “The Boondock Saints,” an uncompromising indie that defied the odds and went on to become one of the most legendary cult films in cinema history. Though its theatrical run was modest, the movie exploded on home video, spawned a sequel, and built a fiercely loyal following that continues to thrive today — not because of ticket sales, but because fans connected deeply with its themes of faith, brotherhood, and justice.
The demand for more stories from the MacManus brothers’ world never let up, and Duffy has kept that fire burning. With “Boondock Saints 3” and even a potential television series on the horizon, the saga remains very much alive. Now, he’s expanding the universe in an entirely new way with The Boondock Saints, Volume 1: Blood Origin, a novel and audiobook written and narrated in his own unmistakable voice. Clocking in at nearly 22 hours, the audiobook delivers far more than fans might expect — a long-awaited look at the brothers’ beginnings that would ultimately shape the film they know and love. In the process, Duffy continues to blaze his own trail in this expansive medium, pushing his storytelling into bold new territory.
At its heart, this project represents a return to basics for Duffy, fueled by the same raw creative spirit that first sparked the original film. In our conversation, he pulls back the curtain on the making of Blood Origin, reflects on his roots as a storyteller, and gives a glimpse at what lies ahead for the Saints and beyond.
It’s great to connect with you again today, Troy. It’s been a minute! Thanks for your time.
I’ll take time out for Icon Vs. Icon any day of the week and twice on Sunday!
The last time we connected for an actual interview was during the “Boondock II” press junket. It was one for the ages! Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery, Clifton Collins Jr., the legendary Billy Connolly, and you. It was awesome! I owe you a debt of gratitude for all the blood, sweat, and tears you’ve poured into this thing over the years, and of course, we’ve kept spreading the word on every development along the way!
Thanks, man. I appreciate that, and I truly appreciate all the love from Icon Versus Icon through the years. Man, that was a crazy little press junket back in the day, wasn’t it?! [laughs]
It was one for the ages, brother! A few days ago, you dropped a video explaining the current state of the franchise and what is happening in terms of ‘Boondock Saints 3’ and a potential television series. With that news, there is also a pretty exciting development for long-suffering fans!
Yeah, I’ve written a book, “The Boondock Saints, Volume 1: Blood Origin.” Remember that feeling right before you hit? That feeling when you had the freedom to sit down and make something for yourself? That’s exactly how I wrote the first “Boondock Saints.” I was just a kid writing a script for himself, and then… BOOM! I’m getting back to basics!
That’s music to my ears! [laughs] Let’s get into it. When you boil everything down, you’re a storyteller. What drew you to the craft of storytelling, and how do you feel you’ve evolved in that realm?
I became an avid reader at an early age. My father, a Harvard graduate in English Literature, made us all read extracurricular novels, one book a month. We had to know our stuff for the family dinner book report. He created a monster! Ever since, my head’s been stuck in a book. Reading gives you a sense of what constitutes good storytelling and great storytelling. I get approached all the time by kids who want to do what I do. My number one piece of advice to those who want to write scripts is to read.
Reading: The very 70s/80s concept they used to drill into us as kids! [laughs] Those were the days! Let’s talk “Blood Origin.” How did this new endeavor come about, and why was now the right time to tell this story?
I essentially handed “Boondock 3” over to Thunder Road, the company behind “John Wick” and “Sicario.” They’re action franchise masters. That was a big load off, and suddenly I didn’t have anything to do. I’d always been intimidated by the idea of writing a book. When you think about books, you’re mind automatically goes to Dickens, Hemingway, and the other literary giants. Then I said, I’m just going to do it. I wrote the first line after a couple of decades of ignoring it. It starts, “So talk your little shite.” After that, it all flowed out like Niagara Falls! I wondered why I’d waited so long. I should’ve done this years ago!
How long had this story been percolating? You’ve lived with these characters for so long. What did the creative process look like?
For some reason, it just falls out of the sky. Maybe it’s God for all I know. As I’m writing, when I feel trouble coming, boom, something drops in. A journalist once asked me how I came up with a particular character, Smecker, who Willem Dafoe played in the film. He fell out of the sky! Once he has, then you find the things he can do. The cops show up, he’s a gay character, and they’re immediately at odds. Great conflict. Writing a book is simple in a way. You are not dealing with agents and producers. It’s like adult playtime. I suck inspiration from everything, and it happens. I wish I could say I eat a certain cheese, light some candles, put on a smoking jacket, and it flows. I don’t know, maybe I should give that a whirl! But it just falls out of the sky. The “Boondock” boys came from my heart and my head. The story is always with me. I even ask myself sometimes, what would the boys do in this situation? There’s just always something percolating in there.
What were the biggest challenges in writing the book, and what surprised you most about the process?
I was surprised by how structured publishing is. They want a certain word count, say 150,000 words, so they can land around 300 to 350 pages. I wanted to write until it was done, no matter the length. It ended up about twice as long as anyone wanted. I narrated the audiobook myself. It’s almost 22 hours. The average audiobook is six to nine hours long. “The Boondock Saints, Volume 1” is 22. It costs the same, so more bang for your buck, “Boondock” fans! However, remember that this book is not just for “Boondock” fans. Crime thriller readers can jump in without needing to know the films. The surprises were mainly on the business side. I didn’t know how much audiobooks cost to produce, or how effective they could be. I’m waiting on reviews. Lord Nik Hall, a friend, heard the audiobook and gave a great review, but he’s my buddy. It’s only been out a few days, so I want the wider feedback.
“The Boondock Saints” has a fiercely loyal following. Did you feel pressure writing “Blood Origin” to satisfy them, or did you write without a filter and let the chips fall where they may?
It was a journey. Fans love certain aspects of the movies — the one-liners, the prayer, the tattoos. But at the core, they love the brothers, Rocco, and those relationships. That guided me. I once polled the fan base. If you met the brothers, what would you want to do most? The number one answer, by far, was to have a beer with them. They are good boys, and what they do is badass. That was one key to the success. They do what many of us only talk about. At some point, everybody has said, “I’ll kill that guy.” Most don’t do it. The boys deliberately do so and go all in. Fans have asked me questions for years. A weirdly common one was, “How did they meet Rocco?” I realized he’s like a third Saint, and a lot of people have a friend like Rocco. I knew I had to deliver that for the fans, and it had to go big.
Also, “how did they get into this life?” You don’t sneak into the United States as illegal Irish immigrants and start killing bad guys. In a book, you need to see how they are lured into vigilantism. It does not go well at first. It starts as a one-time thing they will never talk about again, but they keep getting pulled back. I wrote it so a wrecking ball of drama smashes into their lives and sets Connor and Murphy on opposite sides of the table. Murphy says, “We need to act now.” Connor says, “What do you think you are, a knight in shining armor? We are here to work and send money home. Stop being an asshole.” This is more story than I think “Boondock” fans expect! It is a deeper, more personal journey. We start with their childhood in Ireland. Volume 1 ends after their first few kills and their arrival in the United States. We see them develop, how they get into it, and the emotional, spiritual, and physical minefield they navigate together. Books let you do things movies cannot, such as showing what people are thinking and highlighting the differences and similarities between Connor and Murphy. The journey will hit fans harder. People always say the book is better than the movie. That used to annoy me. This time I did it in reverse, so I’m past that!
We’re a little more than a quarter century from when the original “Boondock Saints” film was released. What is it about the film and these characters that continues to resonate with the masses?
If I knew, I would bottle it and sell it. There is something about “The Boondock Saints” and these boys that resonates on a level I never saw coming. There are three bars in the world called The Boondock Saints that I have nothing to do with. One is in the French Quarter in New Orleans. The movies play on a loop. They have their own merch. It has been open for 20 years, owned by three retired cops. There is one off Red Square in Russia, and one in Japan that is also a restaurant. There’s even a motorcycle club in South Africa, of all places, and it’s called The Boondock Saints motorcycle club. They sent me a cut dude, I’m an honorary member! So, yeah, I can’t explain it. I believe it has to do with faith and God. The religious imagery was deliberate. It has to do with brotherhood. Siblings and close friends understand each other on a deeper level. Fans see themselves in those relationships. I know the ingredients. I do not know how to make that particular stew.
There is no denying that you have concocted a delicious stew on more than one occasion, Troy!
Once, twice, I made a really good one. [laughs] I cannot explain why it struck such a chord. I am just glad it did, and I’m glad it lives within me. I am going to do Volumes Two through Ten. I feel blessed that I can keep going like the Energizer Bunny. This will not be our last interview.
I love to hear that. I know time is short, so let me ask this. You could write a whole book on lessons learned. What are a few early lessons that still guide you creatively?
Stick to your guns, no matter how hard it is. I got my first deal with Miramax and lost it because I stuck to my guns. I wanted my cast, and I wanted to do it my way. If you look at it, the top three roles in the first film were relative unknowns at the time. Hollywood pushes back when you do that. You have a script that a lot of stars want. They suggest playing ball for the sake of your next movie. Trust your instincts and stick to your guns. Second, if you are lucky enough to have a fan base, do what they want. They will tell you clearly. Nobody told me to write a book. That is a side project. Lastly, Hollywood can be a dicey place, and what has happened to the movie business in recent years has sucked. With that said, I think we are turning a corner. I hope “Boondock 3” gets made by Thunder Road at precisely the right time. It is geared to be part of a turning point back to great storytelling without all the political nonsense, and I am looking forward to that.
You mentioned other volumes and projects. Where do you see the road taking you now?
I am thinking about getting back behind the camera again. I recently had the opportunity to work with this little outfit out of southern Georgia and fell in love with the production company and the people who work there. I immediately went down to see them. We have a script I might direct, and another with my buddy Aaron Berg, who is a big comic. We wrote a script called “King of the Castle” about a downtrodden band of male strippers who cannot get it together. After a family tragedy, at 54, he has to go back to stripping to save his family. We want to get that one made with some great comic talent, and we’re already pulling in some terrific actors for it. Calling all billionaires! [laughs] There is also “Blood Spoon Council,” a serial killer thriller I wrote a long time ago. We discussed it in our first interview, around 2012. Some things are happening with it now. I do not want to jinx it, but it was always slated to be my next franchise after “Boondock.” There is action on it. A lot is popping in the creative world. I should have done some studying before the interview! [laughs]
All good, man. I know you have to run. Thank you for your time. Let’s not wait so long next time. Keep the good stuff coming.
All right, brother. Talk to you soon!
‘The Boondock Saints, Volume 1: Blood Origin’ is now available for preorder in eBook and audiobook formats via Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books, and will be available for purchase on October 21st, 2025. Want to know how we got here? Let Troy Duffy break down the state of the ‘Boondock Saints’ franchise in the video update below!
