Why Deadpool & Wolverine Is Rated R: A Parent's Guide To The Marvel Studios Movie
It's safe to say that "Deadpool & Wolverine" is one of the most highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe films in years, and certainly the one to garner the most attention since "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." That hype is due to several factors — the return of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, the MCU's first full dive into the X-Men universe, and the critical acclaim of the previous two "Deadpool" films are some of the big ones. However, it's also because "Deadpool & Wolverine" is rated R, something completely new to the MCU.
In a move that should have surprised no one, the film just received its official R rating. Filmratings.com lists the reasons as "strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references." Again, if you've seen either of the previous "Deadpool" movies, you probably expected this. The series has made a name for itself by being brutal and irreverent, combining bloody violence with crass humor in keeping with the character's comic book origins.
For some parents, though, the R rating might be a bit surprising. Up to this point, Marvel Studios has generally produced family-friendly material. Disney has built the MCU on that brand — one that welcomes pretty much all ages. Of course, many parents will ultimately make their own decisions about what is and isn't appropriate for their children. With that in mind, let's talk about what kind of adult material you can expect in "Deadpool 3."
Deadpool has always been violent and crude
The rating criteria currently listed for "Deadpool 3" is in line with the previous two films. The first movie was rated R for "strong violence and language throughout, sexual content and graphic nudity," and "Deadpool 2" received the same rating for "strong violence and language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material." The only entry in the franchise that hasn't gotten an R rating is the PG-13 re-release of "Deadpool 2," which was retitled "Once Upon a Deadpool." That version was rated for "intense sequences of violence and action, crude sexual content, language, thematic elements and brief drug material."
"Deadpool & Wolverine" may ultimately not be what fans expect, but its rating criteria suggests that there won't be any explicit sexual material other than jokes and some dialogue here and there. Foul language is also likely to run high, as Deadpool drops over 150 F-bombs over the first two movies. The violence is likely to be the biggest cause for parental concern. For the uninitiated, Deadpool doesn't fight with a shield or big green fists. He uses guns and swords, and his battles are usually pretty gruesome, often in a darkly comedic way. It may not be anything worse than you'd see in a video game, but it's certainly enough gore to justify the franchise's traditional rating.
Wolverine appearing in another R-rated flick should also boost the fake blood use. His last such outing, 2017's "Logan," was the first in Fox's X-Men franchise to treat the character's claws as the visceral weapons they are. That trend is sure to continue in "Deadpool 3."
What Deadpool 3's R rating means for the MCU
Because the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been so family-friendly for so long, "Deadpool & Wolverine" might spark some concern. However, any fears that the franchise is eschewing its all-ages label entirely needn't trouble you. Just because Marvel Studios is releasing one R-rated movie doesn't mean that Disney will make it a trend. The usual PG-13 fare is sure to continue as the brand's bread and butter, but "Deadpool 3" does open the door for more experimental projects down the line.
It's worth noting that Marvel has already dipped its toe into adult territory on Disney+. The MCU series "Echo," released earlier this year, was the first MCU show to garner a TV-MA rating. It makes sense, since the series is in many ways a successor to Netflix's "Daredevil" and various "Defenders" spin-offs, all of which also bore TV-MA ratings. However, because those shows have always occupied a strange limbo space in the MCU canon, they didn't raise many eyebrows.
"Echo," on the other hand, is fully canon within the rest of the MCU. It also debuted the new "Marvel Spotlight" badge, a marker of more isolated, grounded stories. The moniker suggests that Marvel Studios may continue to explore more adult-oriented content. While R and TV-MA content will never become the norm in the MCU, there is some understandable concern that core story beats in the overarching franchise narrative could be lost by younger fans. It's ultimately up to Kevin Feige and his team to ensure that the age split doesn't dampen the cinematic universe's overarching story.