Ryan Reynolds has labelled it a priority; 20th Century Fox, floored by the box office haul of Tim Miller’s standalone Deadpool, has expressed mooted interest in the ensemble feature; and now producer Simon Kinberg has added fuel to the fire by teasing that the potential X-Force film could also nab an R rating.
Despite naysayers deeming Deadpool to be a risk, a record-breaking weekend – to the tune of $130 million – has vindicated Tim Miller and Ryan Reynold’s commitment to the character’s origins, and those who have seen Deadpool can attest that it’s as though the original comic book leaped onto the silver screen with minimal interference.
Could the X-Force be in for a similar treatment? Kinberg certainly hopes so. Speaking to Collider, the producer entertained the notion that other superhero properties coming out of Fox could shoulder the R rating. Remember, this is considered to be the same universe that comprises Gambit, Wolverine and the X-Men, though if there’s on property that has the potential to clinch the more mature rating, it’s X-Force.
“I think there are some stories that could be R-rated. I don’t know what they are, I mean I think the mainline X-Men movies have their own tone, which is a more operatic tone. It’s more dramatic, it is more PG-13 in a way. X-Force I could see being R-rated, and who knows? I’m saying I could imagine a universe in which [X-Force is R-rated].”
For now, we know that Cable, a core member of the X-Force squadron, is confirmed to appear in a Deadpool sequel, which could seed the origins for an eventual ensemble film. All we need now is Cyclops, Archangel, Wolverine and, of course, the return of the curiously sympathetic Colossus.