Marvel Isn’t Planning R-Rated Movies
Don’t hold your breath for Marvel to jump on the R-rated superhero movie bandwagon.
Bob Iger, chairman of Marvel parent company Disney, has reportedly told company investors, “we don’t have any plans for R-rated Marvel movies.” (Quote via Indiewire.)
It’s hardly surprising this question would come up. In the wake of the unexpectedly large success of ‘Deadpool’ - $619 million worldwide, and counting - some studios are now wondering if adult-oriented is the way to go on future superhero movies.
Most notably, there have been hints that 20th Century Fox may aim for R-ratings on the third ‘Wolverine’ solo film and ‘X-Men’ spin-off ‘X-Force,’ whilst Warner Bros have promised a more violent R-rated director’s cut of ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’ on DVD.
But if Iger’s comments are anything to go by, Marvel - the big daddies of superhero cinema - do not intend to follow suit. And why would they? It’s not as if their approach hasn’t served them well thus far.
The surge of pro-R-rated superhero movie sentiment in recent weeks may seem to have fallen in line largely with what ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ director James Gunn predicted when ‘Deadpool’ opened.
As Gunn told followers on Facebook, “over the next few months, if you pay attention to the trades, you’ll see Hollywood misunderstanding the lesson they should be learning with Deadpool.
“They’ll be green lighting films ‘like Deadpool’ - but, by that, they won’t mean “good and original” but ‘a raunchy superhero film’ or ‘it breaks the fourth wall.’"
‘Deadpool’ screenwriter Paul Wernick feels similarly, telling Indiewire, “the lesson we hope people take away is: you’ve got to take risks.
“Sometimes that risk will be an R-rating, sometimes it won’t, but to trust the lunatics is the lesson to take away from Deadpool’s success,”
Marvel’s next movie, ‘Captain America: Civil War’ (expected to be rated 12A) opens in UK cinemas on 29 April.
Picture Credit: 20th Century Fox, Marvel/Disney, WENN
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