As one of the highest-grossing R-rated films of all time, Deadpool (opens in new tab) seems to have inspired a wave of confidence in darker, more violent comic book movie adaptations. Rumors abound of the next Wolverine movie aiming for an R, and the home version of Batman v Superman (opens in new tab) will contain an R-rated cut of the film. One movie that won’t be chasing Ryan Reynolds and crew however: Suicide Squad (opens in new tab). At least for now.
Producer Charles Roven tells Entertainment Weekly (opens in new tab) that Warner Bros. and DC aren’t planning on making the film restricted. “I think right now we’re going for the PG-13. I don’t know that that’s going to materially change,” he said. “We can give that movie the edge that it needs and still maintain a PG-13.”
Admittedly, Suicide Squad features a pretty dark premise: villains of the DC universe (including Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, and Deadshot) are brought together against their will and sent on a mission that more than likely will end with their deaths – hence the name of their group. Batman villain The Joker will also make an appearance, and in trailers it’s heavily implied that we’ll be seeing him torture someone. An R rating wouldn’t have been out of the question for such material.
But if what Roven says ends up being true, expect to see Suicide Squad trailers with quotes like, “A film the whole family can enjoy!” … Yeah, okay. Probably not.
Directed by David Ayer and starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, and Joel Kinnaman, Suicide Squad will open in the UK and US on August 5, 2016.
Seen something newsworthy? Tell us!
Images: Warner Bros.