There’s definitely a market for R-rated superhero movies. Regardless, Bruce Wayne isn’t jumping on this bandwagon anytime soon. Variety reports that the Motion Picture Association has officially given The Batman a PG-13 rating. According to the organization, Matt Reeves’ highly-anticipated reboot earned this rating for “strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material.” In other words, we shouldn’t expect an abundance of f-bombs or unbridled bloodshed. (That’s what Titans is for.)
On one hand, some fans may be disappointed by this news. Early trailers for The Batman have suggested that the film strikes a balance between the grittiness of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and the excesses of the Snyderverse. However, a PG-13 rating is pretty standard for the franchise. Every theatrical Batman movie dating back to the Tim Burton days has been rated PG-13. The only real exception is the Ultimate Edition of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which featured more intense violence than its theatrical cut. Last year, Zack Snyder’s Justice League also received an R-rating for similar reasons.
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In the long run, Warner Bros. wants to attract the largest possible audience to see the movie. But the same rules might not apply to either of the two TV spinoffs that are currently in the works at HBO Max. The streaming service is already expanding The Batman’s universe with new shows that will explore the inner workings of the GCPD as well as the Penguin’s rise to power. Because of HBO Max’s looser content regulations, we might get to see an even darker side of Gotham on the small screen.
The Batman will hit theaters on March 4.
How do you feel about the film receiving a PG-13 rating? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!
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