Now that Fox has successfully executed the one-two punch of Deadpool and Logan, the prospect of an adult-oriented, R-rated superhero movie is not only feasible, it’s something that tends to evoke a tremendous sense of excitement from moviegoers the world over.
On the Marvel side of things, last we reported the studio’s top brass Kevin Feige stressed that there are currently no plans for an R-rated addition to the MCU, which tells us that the Powers That Be will likely wait until Phase 4 before putting some serious thought into the possibility of a Marvel tentpole that broke free of the PG-13 classification.
For the DC Extended Universe, it’s a little different. According to Toby Emmerich, the newly-appointed president and chief content officer at Warner Bros., it’s more a question of when, rather than if the studio will invest in an R-rated DC movie.
It’s no secret that WB’s superhero slate is being kept under lock and key, and will likely remain that way until Justice League lights up theaters in November. Even still, the mere thought of a big-budget DC tentpole, one that lends its director the freedom of working under an R-rating, will no doubt set tongues wagging.
Chatting to Variety, Emmerich admitted that he “would be surprised if we didn’t at some point make an R-rated DC movie.” No further details were disclosed, and just because the studio’s head honcho revealed that he’s open to the possibility doesn’t necessarily mean that an R-rated DC film is a sure thing. To date, Warner Bros. has released only a handful of features specifically targeted at that demographic, including Batman: The Killing Joke, which had its own limited theatrical run, and Justice League Dark.
Following the wildly successful Wonder Woman, next up for the DC Extended Universe is the debut of Justice League on November 17th. Looking further afield though, is there one DC film in particular that you’d like to see given an R-rating? Let us know in the usual place!
