Marvel Studios' Movies Won't Be R-rated

[Rac]

Marvel Movies Won't Be R-rated

Now that Marvel controls its own fate, they are taking a stand against making "restricted" films. PG-13 is the hardest rating they want.

Marvel executive Peter Cuneo spoke to a handful of reporters yesterday regarding the future of Marvel Studios and made the bold declaration that they wouldn't be making any movies rated "R."

PG-13 ratings and lighter make better business sense, since you can reach a wider audience, PLUS the comic book movie should be accessible to kids as well as adults--and it makes more money that way as well. Merchandising is also adversely effected when a movie is considered "too hard" for toys, etc.

So, how did Cuneo explain previous R-rated films such as Blade and the earlier and future Punisher movies? Answer: Those films are partnered with outside studios, and this new edict only applies to wholly owned and funded Marvel studios projects. So, it is possible that there may be harder Marvel movies, but only if they aren't coming completely from and by Marvel. There are some characters who are still under contract with different production companies and studios, so that is a possibility.

Cuneo said, "…today, it would be very hard for us to partner with another studio, unless it was an R-rated film, and then I think that's pretty self-obvious because we are not interested in making R-rated films [at Marvel Studios]."


Jim Littler
5/23/2008
Source: Comic Book Movie

OK, now I DON'T want Marvel Studios to make Frank Miller's Elektra or Daredevil reboot or The Punisher 3 or Ghost Rider: Dan Ketch.

 

[chiefchirpa]

Daredevil doesn't need to be R-rated.

Punisher has to be R-rated.

 

[Ben Breeck]

My stand would have been this:

We won't chase a rating. We'll simply be true to the character/team no matter what the MPAA says.

After all, I don't think you can make a Captain America movie and stay true to the origin with anything less than a hard R, or introduce Bishop properly to the X-men, or do justice to Cloak and Dagger's origin, or do more than tiptoe around the act that alienated the Runaways from their parents. You cannot do She-Hulk (a Stan Lee character, at that) justice with a mere PG-13, or Carol Danvers or Spider-Woman Jessica Drew, or especially Black Widow. For that matter, any Hulk rampage done right will invoke an R rating by any rater worth his salt with better than 20-60 vision even without glasses.

 

[Steve Holt]

i'm sure we all saw this coming

 

[SuperFerret]

My stand would have been this:

We won't chase a rating. We'll simply be true to the character/team no matter what the MPAA says.

After all, I don't think you can make a Captain America movie and stay true to the origin with anything less than a hard R, or introduce Bishop properly to the X-men, or do justice to Cloak and Dagger's origin, or do more than tiptoe around the act that alienated the Runaways from their parents. You cannot do She-Hulk (a Stan Lee character, at that) justice with a mere PG-13, or Carol Danvers or Spider-Woman Jessica Drew, or especially Black Widow. For that matter, any Hulk rampage done right will invoke an R rating by any rater worth his salt with better than 20-60 vision even without glasses.

What about Cap's origin is "hard R" material? Or Bishop's for that matter? I get the Cloak and Dagger thing because of the drug stuff, but even then there are ways to get around that tastefully.

And, forgive me if I'm being silly, but how exactly do She-Hulk, Danvers, Drew and Black Widow constitute as R-rated characters? Because they're female?

Finally, Hulk blows things up, he smashes them, throws them, etc. Nothing we haven't seen before in the standard PG-13 action genre.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

What about Cap's origin is "hard R" material? Or Bishop's for that matter? I get the Cloak and Dagger thing because of the drug stuff, but even then there are ways to get around that tastefully.

And, forgive me if I'm being silly, but how exactly do She-Hulk, Danvers, Drew and Black Widow constitute as R-rated characters? Because they're female?

Finally, Hulk blows things up, he smashes them, throws them, etc. Nothing we haven't seen before in the standard PG-13 action genre.

Agreed.

 

[odiin]

My stand would have been this:

We won't chase a rating. We'll simply be true to the character/team no matter what the MPAA says.

After all, I don't think you can make a Captain America movie and stay true to the origin with anything less than a hard R, or introduce Bishop properly to the X-men, or do justice to Cloak and Dagger's origin, or do more than tiptoe around the act that alienated the Runaways from their parents. You cannot do She-Hulk (a Stan Lee character, at that) justice with a mere PG-13, or Carol Danvers or Spider-Woman Jessica Drew, or especially Black Widow. For that matter, any Hulk rampage done right will invoke an R rating by any rater worth his salt with better than 20-60 vision even without glasses.

W-w-w-whaaaaaat??

 

[Ben Breeck]

What about Cap's origin is "hard R" material?

Ever watched Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan?

Or Bishop's for that matter?

Reread his origin. He was a bodyguard in a Mad Max world (in Oz, to boot) before the time travel incident.

I get the Cloak and Dagger thing because of the drug stuff, but even then there are ways to get around that tastefully.

It's not just the drug stuff (though that's no joke) but also the torture before it. It's not quite Hostel or either version of Hills Have Eyes territory, but it's nothing Joe Daddy would send even his high school sophomore to unescorted.

And, forgive me if I'm being silly, but how exactly do She-Hulk, Danvers, Drew and Black Widow constitute as R-rated characters? Because they're female?

She-Hulk and Carol Danvers' solo series read like Sex and the City in spandex. And in the Case of Shulkie, it's been that way since her second ongoing series way back in the Late 80s. If I were Editor in Chief, I'd make them both MAX books without changing any of the writing or art.

Spider-Woman Jessica Drew and Black Widow both involve medical experimentation on little girls in their origins, (Read Bendis' and the Luna Brothers' Spider Woman: Origin and Black Widow:Red Room in trade paperback for more fun details to make Mengle proud) and wihle their grown up solo adventures are no wilder than typical 80s and 90s R rated spy action fare (Aside from Jessica's sex phermones! ), they aren't much tamer, either.

Finally, Hulk blows things up, he smashes them, throws them, etc. Nothing we haven't seen before in the standard PG-13 action genre.

And he does this through some very crowded parts of town with lots of people in those buildings that come tumbling down.

 

[Hypestyle]

boo, hiss... I guess for the sake of trying to be as "mainstream' with their financial backers, PG-13 is safer.. but R can still be profitable.. the first two Blade movies proved this.. ah well... nobody wants to remember Blade..

 

[odiin]

Captain America isn't Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan. Don't be ridiculous, man.

 

[co2]

Captain America isn't Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan. Don't be ridiculous, man.

Exactly. Cap should be a bit fun and open to a broader audience as well, so an R wouldn't appropriate.

 

[SuperFerret]

Ever watched Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan?

I've seen Saving Private Ryan, and it's an excellent film. However, Captain America need not be that graphically violent and still (1) evoke the harsh nature of war and (2) get it's point across that Cap fought in World War II.

Reread his origin. He was a bodyguard in a Mad Max world (in Oz, to boot) before the time travel incident.

O..kay.. so post-apocalyptic, dreary futures are solely the realm of R? Being a mutant from a future where they are oppressed even moreso than they are "today" and then traveling into the past to fish out a traitor in order to prevent that sort of future from happening is completely undoable without resorting to R-rated content?

It's not just the drug stuff (though that's no joke) but also the torture before it. It's not quite Hostel or either version of Hills Have Eyes territory, but it's nothing Joe Daddy would send even his high school sophomore to unescorted.

A tasteful filmmaker will glean over the torture aspects. Do you really want to watch two teens being tortured in detail for any length of time? It's entirely possible to allude to it without showing it.

She-Hulk and Carol Danvers' solo series read like Sex and the City in spandex. And in the Case of Shulkie, it's been that way since her second ongoing series way back in the Late 80s. If I were Editor in Chief, I'd make them both MAX books without changing any of the writing or art.

I've never seen She-Hulk or Warbird (or whatever she calls herself now) engage in conversation about orgasms and graphic sex (which is really what makes SitC inappropriate for the younger audience). Sure, niether may be without their own "adult" reputations, these are not necessary to tell a story featuring a basic, iconic version of the character (as all comic book films have presented).

Spider-Woman Jessica Drew and Black Widow both involve medical experimentation on little girls in their origins, (Read Bendis' and the Luna Brothers' Spider Woman: Origin and Black Widow:Red Room in trade paperback for more fun details to make Mengle proud) and wihle their grown up solo adventures are no wilder than typical 80s and 90s R rated spy action fare (Aside from Jessica's sex phermones! :up), they aren't much tamer, either.

First off, Drew's "sex pheromone" is not an integral or necessary part of the character, and even then, Fox got away with putting Jessica Alba in heat in Dark Angel at 9pm at night, so that's a moot point. Second, medical experimentation is nothing new to superhero movies (Wolverine?) and the characters in question being young children (especially little girls) would only serve to strengthen any emotional connection to them. As with the torture, there's no need to go into excrutiating detail with it. Establish that it happens, maybe via a short, tasteful scene, and move on. As for the spy stuff, the Bond movies were PG-13 and did just fine with all the sex and killing.

And he does this through some very crowded parts of town with lots of people in those buildings that come tumbling down.

Yes, it is assumed that Hulk smashes up populated areas and likely kills people, but again, there is no need to show the Hulk squashing, ripping or killing innocent people.

 

[SuperFerret]

boo, hiss... I guess for the sake of trying to be as "mainstream' with their financial backers, PG-13 is safer.. but R can still be profitable.. the first two Blade movies proved this.. ah well... nobody wants to remember Blade..

It's not a matter of being profitable, it's a matter of being true to the spirit of the characters, who have for almost half a century (and some more than that) been able to appeal to ALL ages.

 

[COAL TIGER]

It's a damn shame becuase I was hoping Marvel would do Werewolf By Night, Deathlok, Luke Cage, and Deadpool so they could introduce other characters into those movies. But after reading this, I hope Marvel never get their hands on none of those films.

 

[SuperFerret]

It's a damn shame becuase I was hoping Marvel would do Werewolf By Night, Deathlok, Luke Cage, and Deadpool so they could introduce other characters into those movies. But after reading this, I hope Marvel never get their hands on none of those films.

Is an R rating really necessary for those characters?

 

[Darthkush]

I think it's stupid that Marvel is completely saying "No" to doing any R rated films but I also think it's silly that some of you believe characters like Captain America and Bishop can only be introduced in R rated stories. Cap, i can see(even though i don't agree with) but Bishop? Now, that's just going into silliness. If there's no R rated Wolverine, we'll NEVER see an R-rated X-men film.

 

[deathshead2]

The only movies I can see marvel doing an R rating for are Deadpool,werewolf by night, Tomb of Dracula, or the Punisher. everything else doesn't really need an R heck even Deadpool is pushing it.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

It's a damn shame becuase I was hoping Marvel would do Werewolf By Night, Deathlok, Luke Cage, and Deadpool so they could introduce other characters into those movies. But after reading this, I hope Marvel never get their hands on none of those films.

Why? The comics featuring those characters were never R rated...why do you feel the movies need to be?

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Well, I guess that means either they're going to let Lion's Gate keep Punisher or they're going to REALLY f**k him up when they get their hands back on him.

 

[SuperFerret]

What more does the Punisher get from an R rating? More brutal and graphic violence? Is there even a point to it then?

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Well, I guess that means either they're going to let Lion's Gate keep Punisher or they're going to REALLY f**k him up when they get their hands back on him.

Yes, because the first thirty years of Punisher stories that came out before the MAX book were just a complete waste of time.

 

[odiin]

Well, I guess that means either they're going to let Lion's Gate keep Punisher or they're going to REALLY f**k him up when they get their hands back on him.

Did you miss the part about characters that actually warrant R-ratings being handled by separate studios? Which means that when Marvel gets their hands back on the Punisher, they WON'T be releasing a watered down PG-13 Punisher film, but rather they WILL be senind the property off to another studio so that THEY can make an R-rated film.

 

[Devil]

For me, Daredevil need an R rated 'cause it's Frank Miller territory.
Elektra need R Rated.
Punisher, Ghost Rider and Blade needs R.
Deadpool need R.
Luke Cage need the R Rated (but, i think, not Iron Fist...).
Wolverine need R Rated.
Werewolf by night need an R Rated.
A new Man-Thing movie need a R Rated.
Deathlok need R Rated.
Black Widow need R Rated.
Tales of the Zombies need R Rated...

Now i thought this characters. The others can need the Pg or pg-13 rated!

 

[deathshead2]

For me, Daredevil need an R rated 'cause it's Frank Miller territory.
Elektra need R Rated.
Punisher, Ghost Rider and Blade needs R.
Deadpool need R.
Luke Cage need the R Rated (but, i think, not Iron Fist...).
Wolverine need R Rated.
Werewolf by night need an R Rated.
A new Man-Thing movie need a R Rated.
Deathlok need R Rated.
Black Widow need R Rated.
Tales of the Zombies need R Rated...

Now i thought this characters. The others can need the Pg or pg-13 rated!

Why the F do those need to be R?

 

[SuperFerret]

For me, Daredevil need an R rated 'cause it's Frank Miller territory. Why?
Elektra need R Rated. Why?
Punisher, Ghost Rider and Blade needs R. Why?
Deadpool need R. Why?
Luke Cage need the R Rated (but, i think, not Iron Fist...). Why?
Wolverine need R Rated. Why?
Werewolf by night need an R Rated. Why?
A new Man-Thing movie need a R Rated. Why?
Deathlok need R Rated. Why?
Black Widow need R Rated. Why?
Tales of the Zombies need R Rated... Why?

Now i thought this characters. The others can need the Pg or pg-13 rated!

WHY!? What does an R-rating give the characters that a PG-13 can not?