Getting Fox To Green Light An R-Rated X-Men Movie Wasn’t Easy, According To Logan Producer

When it comes to 20th Century Fox’s modern fascination with R-rated movies, Deadpool was really the first domino (zing!) to fall.

In 2016, Tim Miller and Ryan Reynolds whip-smart superhero movie was celebrated as a breath of fresh air – a fierce and oftentimes hilarious X-Men movie that was both self-aware and wildly entertaining, as the Merc With a Mouth poked fun at Hollywood’s crowded genre of costumed crusaders with ease. Much of that success can be traced back to the film’s R rating, which ultimately empowered Miller, Reynolds and the film’s writers – namely Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese – with enough creative freedom to deliver the Deadpool movie fans had been longing for, resulting in a box office haul to the tune of $760 million. Not bad for a film that was initially written off as a dispensable risk.

Such a landmark achievement was enough for Fox to green light James Mangold’s R-rated Logan movie, but as the film’s producer Hutch Parker revealed during a recent panel (via CinemaBlend), getting to that point wasn’t easy. Spoilers: 20th Century Fox wasn’t all that interested by the prospect of an adult-oriented X-Men film.

We had had conversations in different iterations and even going back long before The Wolverine about more grounded storytelling in the universe. Candidly, I don’t think we were equipped yet. Jim was sort of a catalyst in so many different ways, in galvanizing the studio’s confidence about doing something bold. In the conviction that he had about the tone that it required and the kind of amazing instinct and navigational skill he had about where we needed to go in the story… I honestly cannot picture another filmmaker doing anything even close to what was accomplished with this film. That’s how significant change occurs in storytelling, in filmmaking.

News that Mangold and Hugh Jackman faced some resistance from 20th Century Fox is nothing new, and the director has continually cited the runaway success of Deadpool as the catalyst that helped spur Logan into production.

It’s now teetering on the verge of its Blu-ray launch, and those holding out for the film’s monotone cut will finally be able to view Wolverine’s last stand through a black-and-white lens on May 23rd. And yes, there’s still time to enter We Got This Covered’s giveaway, the details of which you can find below.