8 Comic Book Movies Made For Adults Only

2) American Splendor

An anomaly on this list, Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s American Splendor doesn’t even fit the mold of R-rated comic book movies, never mind comic book movies in general. It wasn’t rated R for its sex and violence (of which there is none), and while there is some swearing, it’s infrequent. This somewhat meta biopic of comic book writer Harvey Pekar isn’t likely to corrupt anyone. It is, however, intended strictly for adults.

American Splendor is a rare comic book film that simply wasn’t made to attract younger audiences. You could argue that even Kick-Ass and Dredd, as violent as they are, are made within an audience-friendly blockbuster framework. American Splendor, meanwhile, resembles a 70s New Hollywood drama more than any comic book movie, and concerns itself with topics (illness, marriage, ageing) that resonate more with older viewers than they ever would with younger audiences seeking their comic book movie fix.