Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi Rating Changed In The UK Over Concerns About Violence

Changes in rating criteria from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) resulted in several classic films being reevaluated at the end of 2023. Perhaps most notably, "Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi" was moved from a "U" rating (which stands for "universal" and indicates that a film is appropriate for all audiences) to a "PG" rating, according to the Daily Mail. Other films, including "Jurassic Park" and "Santa Claus: The Movie," also saw their ratings bumped up a notch.

Such alterations aren't uncommon, but some have raised eyebrows at the BBFC's new ratings because some prominent movies saw their labels drop a tier. The Martin Scorcese-directed films "Raging Bull" and "Gangs of New York" previously held an "18" rating but were brought down to a "15," marking them as appropriate for a larger group of teenage viewers. "Friday The 13th" and Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon" were among other films to receive the 18-to-15 treatment. The changes reflect a heightened effort to guardrail content for young children while removing guardrails for older teenagers.

Some may view this move as an odd double standard, but in the case of "Return of the Jedi," it isn't all that strange. The Star Wars film's new BBFC rating is more in line with how it's always been marketed in the United States.

The BBFC's "U" rating is most analogous to a "G" rating from the Motion Picture Association — a seal of approval that a film's content is appropriate for very young children. In the United States, all three original Star Wars films received PG ratings from the MPA upon release, so it makes sense that they'd share the equivalent demarcation in the U.K.

These days, Star Wars is skewed more toward older kids. In 2005, "Revenge of the Sith" became the franchise's first entry to get slapped with a PG-13 rating, and every live-action theatrical outing since has received the same. The main sticking point for the BBFC seemed to be the violence in "Return of the Jedi," with their website detailing a laundry list of specific moments: "A man is repeatedly electrocuted and reacts in pain. A villain's hand is cut off at the wrist; however, there is limited detail. A woman is fed to a fantastical creature. A man is thrown to his death."

Again, the new PG rating fits how the film has always been viewed in the U.S. As the label suggests, it isn't a hard rejection of children watching Star Wars, but simply an extra note for parents and guardians to consider before putting it on the TV.