Star Wars: The Force Awakens Gets A PG-13 Rating

A blockbuster movie gets a PG-13 rating, big deal right? Well, in the case of the Star Wars franchise, this is actually a rather big deal.

You see, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is only the second Star Wars movie to get that rating, with Revenge of the Sith previously the sole instalment which wasn’t PG (likely due to the violent final battle between Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker).

Of course, a more mature approach to the Star Wars franchise in this day and age is no bad thing, and while the Original Trilogy may have also been rated PG, that’s surprising given how much more grown up they felt than the prequels.

So, why the PG-13 rating for Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Are we getting a sex scene? Swearing? Blood and guts? It’s nothing that exciting, actually, as the MPAA’s decision came down to “sci-fi action violence.”

That’s hardly a big deal, and the impact this is going to have on the movie – which is expected to have the highest grossing opening of all-time in North America – is minimal. Plus, Star Wars: The Force Awakens looks pretty dark, with General Hux and Captain Phasma set to scare the young ones even more than Darth Vader once did, so this rating was pretty much expected.