'Logan' sneak peek: Will more superhero films shoot for R rating?
-
Molly Driscoll Staff writer
A trailer has been released for the upcoming 鈥淴-Men鈥� film 鈥淟ogan,鈥� which will center on the superhero Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and will reportedly be rated R following the success of this year鈥檚 R-rated superhero film 鈥淒eadpool.鈥�
The plot of 鈥淟ogan鈥� follows the common superhero theme of a reluctant hero conscripted to save a damsel in distress that plays out in many comic books. But the film breaks from the tradition of catering to younger audiences by reportedly aiming for an R rating.
"Logan" stars聽Mr. Jackman as Wolverine, who has to be coaxed by his mentor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) into helping a young girl.
鈥淪omeone will come along,鈥� Wolverine tells Professor Xavier.
鈥淪omeone has come along,鈥� Professor Xavier replies.聽
In addition to starring in various 鈥淴-Men鈥� films, including the 2014 box office hit 鈥淴-Men: Days of Future Past,鈥� Jackman has portrayed the character in stand-alone films, including the 2013 movie 鈥淭he Wolverine.鈥�
earlier this year that 鈥淟ogan鈥� 鈥渋s an R-rated movie. It鈥檚 violent, it鈥檚 kind of like a Western in its tone.鈥澛�
An R-rated superhero movie was somewhat unusual before this year. The 2009 Warner Bros. movie 鈥淲atchmen鈥� was R-rated, as were films that were adapted from comic series like 鈥�300.鈥� But a movie released by Marvel Studios, for example, has never been rated R, and none of the 鈥淴-Men鈥� films from 20th Century Fox or Warner Bros. movies based on popular figures like Batman or Superman were R-rated.聽
This year鈥檚 hit 鈥淒eadpool,鈥� however, was. The movie was based on an 鈥淴-Men鈥� character and was released by 20th聽Century Fox. The film became a smash hit and is currently the domestically fifth-highest-grossing movie of the year.聽
Some industry watchers predicted that the success of 鈥淒eadpool鈥� would make an R rating more of a possibility for superhero movies in the future. Mr. Kinberg conducted his interview in which he said 鈥淟ogan鈥� would have an R rating three months after the release of 鈥淒eadpool.鈥澛�
Following 鈥淒eadpool鈥� becoming a hit, wrote that 鈥渋t paves the way for other R-rated superhero movies.鈥�
, however, wrote, 鈥淭here simply aren鈥檛 many name-brand superhero movies who lend themselves to an R-rated adaptation. Sure, the DC Movie Universe is thematically darker than the Marvel Cinematic Universe but don鈥檛 expect Warner Bros. to start making R-rated Batman movies. Superheroes are meant to inspire, and children and teenagers are every bit as important as adults when it comes to the audience for these films.鈥�
