Do You Want An R-Rated Batman Film?

[Detective Conan]

I have to ask you guys here: Do you want an R-rated Batman movie, or do you think Bats works just fine in the PG-13 world? Joker proved you can make a billon dollars with an R-rating and there’s quite a few Batman comics that certainly would be R-rated.

And yes I’m aware the Killing Joke and the Ultimate Edition of BvS are rated R but I’m purely talking about a live action solo film released in theaters, here.

 

[Herofan]

It was nice that WB dared to go that far with and forThe Killing Joke but there's not really much difference, let alone necessarily improvement, in what you can get with PG-13 vs. R.

In general showing (more) blood isn't particularly either necessary or improving and going too far with the violence, let alone gore, could clash too much with the more fantastical or otherwise fun elements that should at least be present too.

 

[hellblazer103]

"we're like $UpUhR dArk amirite errybody?? Haha, but don't go TOO far otherwise the little kidskies can't see ... But we're still, like, $UpuHr daaark. This ain't your grandma's Batman! But we still need rules and ****"


Yeah, that approach is tiresome now, especially after seeing that R rated CBMs can still have success.

But eh. It's a pipe dream, I guess.

 

[KManX89]

It was nice that WB dared to go that far with and forThe Killing Joke but there's not really much difference, let alone necessarily improvement, in what you can get with PG-13 vs. R.

In general showing (more) blood isn't particularly either necessary or improving and going too far with the violence, let alone gore, could clash too much with the more fantastical or otherwise fun elements that should at least be present too.

Not necessarily true. The Wolverine theatrical version had to cut most of the ninja fight and plenty of other shots to secure a PG-13 despite the stabbings being completely bloodless. OTOH, Logan dropped the cuffs and, well, I think we know what the general consensus is on the two films. Also, I'm pretty sure the "Money Shot" (Expendables), "Thanks for the advice" (Die Hard), Rambo 2008 forest fight, ED 209 malfunctioning (RoboCop) and Joker neck-stabbing and "You Get What You F'in Deserve" shots wouldn't pass for a PG-13. The Avengers couldn't even show Coulson getting stabbed with Loki's Scepter without getting an R.

The 1997 Spawn movie was aiming for a PG-13 from the get-go and it still had to be cut and submitted 5 times to get that rating, and even the so-called "R-rated cut" (that is the version they tried and failed to water down enough for a PG-13 with its utterly campy tone not at all in line with the comics) was still HEAVILY watered-down from the source material.

But no on R-rated Batman, which his comics are pretty much all (save for the "main" Joker stories) PG-13, anyway.

 

[Boy Scout]

Nah. I don’t think it’s necessary.

 

[BobJM]

I'd be up for it. Not necessary, but sure why not?

 

[hellblazer103]

If you wanna hammer in how ****ing "dark and serious" your movie is constantly, then yeah, I kinda do think it's at least a tad necessary at this point compared to the half-assed approach.

If you wanna go camp tho, not very necessary.

I can enjoy both forms, but I think a majority prefer the darker tone .

Regardless, I'm still pretty excited for the Reeves film.

But honestly, at this point, half of me wants to say "go all the way or don't bother "

But I get it. "You can get away with so much! Just don't show any blood regardless of how hard someone is bludgeoned or how many stabs and cuts they get and we're gonna limit the amount of times those stabs or cuts happen, don't let anyone light up a cigarette, you get one F bomb so make it count, no more naughtier words for you, you can make it a little scary but not TOO scary" yes, yes, I get it ...

(And no, I don't need Bats and other characters saying the F word every five seconds to justify the rating ala *cough cough* BoP)

 

[Filmfreak]

There are two different questions here. Do I prefer an R rating? No. Would I be opposed to one? Also no.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

You would have to give me a reason why a 'Batman' movie has to be rated 'R".
I am not against it at all.
Just saying I need to make a 'R' rated Batman movie isnt enough for me...those reasons usually end up with poor results.

 

[hellblazer103]

You would have to give me a reason why a 'Batman' movie has to be rated 'R".
I am not against it at all.
Just saying I need to make a 'R' rated Batman movie isnt enough for me...those reasons usually end up with poor results.

Because the guy faces off literal serial killers and other creeps, for starters

There are two different questions here. Do I prefer an R rating? No. Would I be opposed to one? Also no.

This is a fair take

 

[Neil McCauley]

Yes, I think that it would work.

 

[hellblazer103]

What I REALLY want (which may be an even bigger pipe dream) is a TV MA series that chroniclizes his whole career . A good meaty 6 season arc, give or take.

If Gotham can get ****ing five 20-something episode long seasons (okay, 4 and then a 5th season with 12 eps) then that shouldn't be too much to ask for .

I guess the Gotham PD HBO series will be closer to that, but still not the same .

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

If it is a good script/story and not vulgar for the sake of being Rated R, then I say go for it.

 

[Herofan]

Batman Returns only had a few pretty brief bits of blood, Catwoman scratching a face, Penguin biting a nose, and then at the end Penguin's nose bleeding and FWIW Catwoman being shot and Max fried ... and though I love the film that was probably about as much blood/gore as a Batman film can or should have.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is probably what I think of most in terms of violence in PG-13 films but those were a while ago and they may always have been quite Upper PG-13.

 

[Babillygunn]

Some of the most chilling and disturbing Images that I have seen came from episodes of shows like Law and Order, CSI and Criminal Minds. They were more reality based than other shows inasmuch as they feel like they could happen in our world. Episodes where a killer is motivated by a painting to cut people’s hands off and pose the body, or a guy who breaks people’s bones, drills holes in their hands and turns them into human marionettes. There is nothing campy about that dark stuff. But those were smartly filmed with enough restraint to be able to air on network television during prime time. More isn’t always better. Sometimes it is just more.

 

[hellblazer103]

Returns would've been R if it came out today. I guarantee it.

It's a different world now

 

[Calvin Ellis]

We already got one with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition and almost had one with The Dark Knight.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

If its along the lines of Sielnce of the Lambs & Batman is tracking down a serial killer..then im' for a hard 'R"

 

[Calvin Ellis]

If its along the lines of Sielnce of the Lambs & Batman is tracking down a serial killer..then im' for a hard 'R"

I can see that with Batman going after victor zsasz and the Joker.

 

[Axl Van Sixx]

Would I like an R-rated Batman movie? Sure. I'm a grown man and if you're going to tell a story that features large amounts of violence, I would rather see the results of that violence than a version where people suffer lethal assaults without any visible blood.

However, I think there is a difference between Joker and Batman movies. Joker told the story of a mass murdering clown. An R rating for such a story seems very natural. But Batman has a code of not using guns and not killing people. Given those boundaries, what would be the point of an R rating for a Batman movie?

My personal view is that PG-13 is more than enough for a Batman movie. Chris Nolan showed with The Dark Knight that that rating can more than encompass the necessary darkness for a Batman movie. An R rating is only a necessity if we're talking about a protagonist who kills people as a matter of course, like The Punisher. Batman explicitly does not kill people. Therefore, I don't see why an R rating would be necessary, other than wanting extra blood, violence, sex and nudity that (while an adult viewer may appreciate) is not strictly necessary to the story.

 

[Iceman]

I don’t really have much need for an R-rated Batman film, but if there were to be one, I’d expect the villain to be the cause of the R-rating rather than Batman.

 

[Vigilante LXXXV]

Would be interesting and there is much potential to push for but I'm fine with hard PG13's like The Batman seems to be.