The box-office success of Deadpool has already prompted two studios to embrace an “R” rating for their superhero projects, with 20th Century Fox planning an “R”-rated sequel to The Wolverine and Warner Bros. Pictures releasing an “R”-rated cut of Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. So what about the premiere producer of superhero cinema, Marvel Studios?
According to Disney, fans hoping to see an “R”-rated Marvel Studios movie probably shouldn’t hold their breath.
As reported by The Los Angeles Times, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger dismissed the notion of Marvel Studios going down the “R”-rated path during a recent conference call with investors.
“We don’t have any plans to make R-rated Marvel movies,” said Iger when a shareholder brought up the success of Deadpool.
Iger’s response doesn’t come as a surprise, either, as Disney has long held to a family-friendly standard with its cinematic projects. And given the success of Marvel Studios’ movies while adhering to a “PG-13,” there’s no reason for Marvel to push into more restricted-audience environments with the company’s big-screen properties.
Of course, it’s worth noting that Marvel fans craving more adult-oriented fare already have multiple Netflix series that would likely receive an “R” rating if they were screened in theaters. Both Daredevil and Jessica Jones unfold within the established Marvel movie-verse while also featuring ample amounts of sex, violence, and other adult themes. To their credit, Disney and Marvel have done an impressive job of compartmentalizing their projects according to the intended audiences while still developing each of them within the same universe — something Fox and Warner Bros. have yet to master (or show any interest in developing).
The next film in Marvel’s cinematic universe to hit theaters will be Captain America: Civil War, which premieres May 6 in the U.S. and kicks off the third phase of the MCU. The second season of Daredevil premieres March 18 on Netflix.
