Mar 20, 2009 by The MovieWeb Team

No More R-Rated Superheroes from Warner Bros.

It was only a short time ago that Marvel Executives said that R-rated films weren't going to be a part of their strategy going forward, and it seems like Warner Brothers and DC comics are following suit. According to a source inside the studio known to our friends at IESB.net, Warner Brothers has also sworn off doing R-rated tentpole films.

This decision most likely is one of economics. Iron Man and The Dark Knight both had incredibly good box-office takes, as have other PG-13 superhero films like Batman Begins, Fox's X-Men trilogy, and Sony's Spider-Man films. Meanwhile, R-rated superhero films like Punisher: War Zone and Watchmen have struggled to reach profitable box-office takes.

What does this mean going forward? Well, it means that future superhero projects out of Warner Brothers will probably remain in the PG-13 realm, meaning that families will go see the films together, kids will buy the toys of the superheroes, and the studio will make money. So, expect Green Lantern, The Flash and (if it ever materializes) Wonder Woman all to end up rated PG-13.

Now, this doesn't completely preclude the possibility of R-rated films that are based on comics. The studio says that Jonah Hex will probably still be rated R. However, the studio doesn't consider that a superhero film - just one that is based on a comic. So, other movies based on the Vertigo comics imprint from DC Comics might still be adapted into R-rated films. But it does mean that we probably shouldn't expect to see an R-rated The Dark Knight Returns coming anytime soon.


Sources: IESB.net

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Comments (76)

  1. -comrade-

    Watchmen was not the best it could have been. If Zack Snyder had been told "Absolutely no longer than 2 hours." Then he would have had to get creative, instead of filming the whole f*cking book shot for shot (his so-called "visionary" style), overplaying the violence whenever it happened, then cutting whatever he could while still having the film make marginal sense for a theater audience. A visual success, and a decent film in its own regard but, in the end, in terms of a Watchmen adaptation Zack Snyder-FAIL.

    3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  2. Oli

    That kind of sucks, but I agree with clockwork. As long as they don't change something that was meant to be for mature audiences.

    3 years agoby @reviloleeFlag

  3. sweeneyfan1

    WATCHMEN WAS AWESOME FOR A R MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

    3 years agoby @sweeneyfan1Flag

  4. Dfella504

    not the rateing.

    3 years agoby @dfellaFlag

  5. Dfella504

    look bottom line is that dc has to come out with there heavy hiters! like people say nobody knows who the watchman really are and it was a great movie, but you must come out with movies the fans want to see.if don't please the fans everybody else is suspect! because it's the true comic fans who go to these movie an talk about them to everybody. that's why the good ones are so successful.

    3 years agoby @dfellaFlag

  6. Clockworkcookie

    Well, not all comic book adaptations need to be R-Rated anyways, so this on itself doesn't mean anything. I will be worried however, if they decide to adapt something that is originally violent and mature, and then tone it down for the movie. On a sidenote, I'm very upset that Watchmen did bad in the box office, I mean, it's not a perfect movie but it was smart, and now these guys will probably assume the general audience don't want smart SH movies. XP (...huh... and perhaps it's true..)

    3 years agoby @clockworkcookieFlag

  7. Whitebutazn

    if iron man and those others were R rated they would have made good $. I know jonah hex wont turn profits because most people havn't heard of that just like watchmen. watchmen was good but does not have the fanabase of batman and spider man and iron man.

    3 years agoby @whitebutaznFlag

  8. -comrade-

    Most character based films work better within a PG-13 realm anyway. GN adaptations, with only one story to tell really hinge on the content of the book.

    3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  9. Forrestgump1

    Watchmen waz good and the Punisher Films sucked so i really don't care-LOLZ!!!!!

    3 years agoby @forrestgump1Flag

  10. Solar XI

    Both Punisher films sucked. I mean it's a shame. The Blade trilogy was pretty cool. They were decent vampire movies and Wesley Snipes was perfect. V For Vendetta was good. Constantine was okay. Watchmen couldn't have been any better. Does 300 count? It's a comic.

    Green Lantern, Flash and Wonder Woman are definite PG-13 films. If they were rated R they'd probably suck. I actually though X-Men Origins: Wolverine had potential to be rated R.

    Superhero films being rated R creates a lower film fan base. 100 people could read The Punisher but 20% of those readers will see the movie due to the R rating. Same like Watchmen, only difference is it's a "graphic novel".

    3 years agoby @solarxiFlag

  11. T.Clark

    ...that guy has problems
    v
    v
    v
    v

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  12. T.Clark

    I doubt we'll be seeing another Punisher film any time soon

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  13. Mutant

    There is two kinds of comic books, pg-13 and R. Blade is rated R and it should continue that way. Move over Snipes, get someone else to play Blade.

    3 years agoby @zenderFlag

  14. Diaigma

    If Fathom is being made, I have a hard time seeing that as PG-13. Oh well.

    3 years agoby @diaigmaFlag

  15. Chad Vital

    Agreed Comrade.

    3 years agoby @chad-vitalFlag

  16. -comrade-

    I wish studios didn't go in to a movie with the attitude, this needs to be PG-13, make it that way from the beginning, writing, directing, story, etc. I could understand if they would say "We're thinking PG-13 on this one. Go nuts." Depending on the director they hire, they should do fine. If it comes out R,cut it down for theaters to make initial money then release an extended cut (and NO theatrical cut).

    Break the mold a little bit, do something that no studio has done before.

    3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  17. Soylent Green:The Devil's Eyes

    Whelp, this ruins my chance for my stab at Batman.

    F*CK!!!!

    3 years agoby @jcisawesomeFlag

  18. StreetsDiciple

    I couldnt imagine a R rated X men after watching the first 3 as pg13

    3 years agoby @streetsdicipleFlag

  19. StreetsDiciple

    Money talks at the end of the day.

    3 years agoby @streetsdicipleFlag

  20. sirmetro

    i hate to say it,but i agree with movie buff.This biz has to keep fuclin runnin,and we need the f*ckin benjamins for that.R rating or no R rating,what we need are good ass movies not neccessarily reduced to kiddie sh*t in the league of barney and friends'

    3 years agoby @sirmetroFlag

  21. kyle_hannah

    Im not talking only about violence theres much more than violence in a movie to warrant an R rating. If you have to pander to all these bounderies and limits while writing it is harbouring your creativity. When Darren Arnonofsky made Requiem For A Dream it was given an NC17 then edited down into an R and the funny part is the only differance is a F*CKING NIPPLE! If Requiem was watered down to PG-13 it would not have been anywhere close to as impactful as it was. What about American History X...do you think that movie wouldve been anything close to as intense and emotional as it was if the violence was all non existant. My point is a story needs to write itself to an extent once you start thinking buisness only or buisness first youve f*cked yourself as an artist

    3 years agoby @kyle-hannahFlag

  22. T.Clark

    I just find it frustrating that people complain that there aren't any "smart" movie nowadays, and when one finally comes around, they bitch that it was "too boring." Shut the f*ck up. Even if it's based on a graphic novel, it was more original than half the other sh*t that gets released these days

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  23. MovieBuff

    Wow... never heard so many cry babies over the ratings of movies. You all need to chill.

    1) Everyone is complaining how the studios only think about money. Well, of course they do... its a freaking business. They don't want to spend $100 million dollars on an rated R movie for a small fan base who want it so just to make $30 million dollars and lose a whopping $70 million. They make movies to MAKE MONEY.... not lose it.

    2) Limiting yourself to a PG-13 doesn't limit yourself as an artist. NOt being able to show the audience a slit throat or a leg amputated or an ear bitten off or a face blown to smitherines because the studio says so doesn't make you less of an artist. You can show that in other movies that you direct that are not comic book based. This is just an economic decision by the studio.

    Personally, I don't think its going to make that much of a difference except to the hardcore fans that want the gritty, bloody, R rated comic book movies.

    I value all your opinions... I really do. Even Moviemaniacks haha... but I really think you're overexaggerating the impact of this news. Oh... by the way... Moviemaniack and Brian are somewhat right about Watchmen. It wasn't bad.... but it wasn't that great either.

    Now.... let me brace myself for the bashing haha

    3 years agoby @moviebuff123Flag

  24. T.Clark

    The Incredible Hulk was a step forward

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  25. kyle_hannah

    Hey hey hey...i liked The Incredible Hulk lol

    3 years agoby @kyle-hannahFlag

  26. furiousangel2

    Another step backward, like the stupid last Hulk movie. Very sad to see, no independent type movies will be coming out of Marvel, just more Fantastic Four movies.

    3 years agoby @furiousangel2Flag

  27. J.A.Ottley.Writer / Director

    Yep apparently every studio has put an automatic ban, on R-rated superhero scripts. The screenwriter according to the WGA and other sources now have to state the rating on the script. If a rating is not stated on the script then it is dismissed unless the writer has already been penned to the said project.

    Watchmen too me was very faithful but i reckon they could have scrapped the sex scenes, that would have decreased the rating over here in the UK from 18 to 15, meaning it would have made much more cash, but the sex scene automatically warranted it a 18 rating certificate.
    Synder would have got away with the violence because some of it wasn't that brutalic to warrant the 18 certificate.

    Over here in the UK a R-rated film warrants at a 15 or 18 rating depending on the content it contains decided by the BBFC. The sex scene made it an 18 over here, in which they weren't really nessceray.

    Also Kyle Hannah, love your concept on why Alan Moore hates Hollywood, (which is a fact) and also i like the whole limiting creativity upon the artist *philosophy.* which i follow that the same hence why i like the way you put it :)

    3 years agoby @chronicFlag

  28. Josebond007

    I think that WATCHMEN couldn't been done if it wasn't an R rated film

    3 years agoby @josebond007Flag

  29. kyle_hannah

    Watchmen was a complex, mutli layered story filled with action, spectacle, and intelligence but whatever it didn't make as much money as previous abortions like Fantastic Four therefore it is a worse movie...what kind of logic is this? This is why Alan Moore hates hollywood

    3 years agoby @kyle-hannahFlag

  30. kyle_hannah

    How pathetic once you start limiting your creativity to pander to your audience you've lost your credibility as an artist. WB has clearly forgotten how much 300 made them a boatload of cash i guess money is all that matters at least they've got the balls to admit it.

    3 years agoby @kyle-hannahFlag

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