‘Black Adam’ editor reveals the number one reason the DCU blockbuster didn’t stick with an R-rating

We’ve heard plenty of big budget blockbusters talk a good game by claiming they’d push the boundaries of a PG-13 rating to breaking point, but Black Adam was one of the few that ended up walking the walk, so much so that it was revealed Dwayne Johnson’s DCU debut had initially been awarded an R-rating by the MPAA before being sent back to the editing room.

Naturally, that almost instantly led to calls among fans to see the more extreme version released on either home video or HBO Max, something that would be a savvy move on Warner Bros.’ part to try and rustle up some additional income once the comic book adaptation wraps up its run in theaters.

The first major action sequence in Black Adam features the titular antihero literally tearing people limb from limb, shoving grenades into mouths, and generally brutalizing his enemies, but editor Michael L. Sale’s explanation to ScreenRant as to why the violence needed to be toned down is straightforward, self-explanatory, and obvious all at once.

“What I was getting from the producers was that we wanted to ensure [it wasn’t too heavy]. It would’ve been easy to make an R-rated version of Black Adam, right? Personally, I would’ve loved it. I would’ve been like, “Oh, let him punch his hand through people. Go nuts,” right? I’m an old dude, and I’m a horror guy. I like all kinds of stuff. I would’ve been happy.

There was a thing coming from the director and the producers that, “Hey, we want to make this movie for everybody. Dwayne’s got a huge fan base, and he has a family fan base.” For us, it wasn’t about keeping with any tone of DC, past or present. It was about establishing our tone and our brand and the Black Adam brand. Our tone is like, “Hey, we’re going to be edgy. But it’s also a movie you can take your kids with dad and mom, and you can watch. And it’s not going to be so horrifying that you feel bad,” right?”

There’s definitely mileage in making the R-rated cut of Black Adam available for mass consumption, especially when we know the gnarlier footage already exists out there somewhere. It was inevitable that A-list megastar Johnson would have pushed for a PG-13 to make the most money, but he’s also got a habit of giving people exactly what they want.