Wolverine Movie to be Rated R?
Written on April 15, 2005 by Vic Holtreman
According to an interview with Comic Buyer's Guide (by way of Newsarama) David Benioff is working on a screenplay for the "Wolverine" spin-off movie, and he's writing it as an R-rated flick.
According to Newsarama, Benioff is a huge fan of Wolverine (from the comics) but also says that he can't imagine anyone other than Hugh Jackman playing the part.
His plan is to write it as an R-rated version that will be more gritty and rough than the X-Men movies, and then it will be up to the director and presumably Avi Arad as to whether the movie remains at that level or is dropped down to a PG-13.
I've read arguments going both ways: That a Wolverine movie should be rated R (he does have huge claws that he uses in battle), as opposed to PG-13 (or even PG, since he's a comic book character). Personally I think that a stand-alone Wolverine film should be R. If you're going to have a guy that slashes at his enemies with foot-long steel claws, there ought to be blood.
I've always thought that as a concept, the character of Wolverine always had to be watered way down in the comics. I mean here you have a guy with a dark, raging temper, awesome fighting skills and razor sharp claws that he's not shy about using... yet (as far as I know) rarely do any if his opponents die.
Don't forget that Marvel has put out R-rated superhero flicks before: The Blade trilogy.
Of course PG-13 equals way more box office money and it doesn't alienate the core fanbase of the X-Men movies: teenage boys.
First of all, the Blade trilogy sucked (except for the original... sort of), and it made less money than the X-Men movies. I don't see anything wrong with a PG-13 rating for Wolverine. It's the development of the character and the telling of the story that matters, not the level of gory detail that is shown, IMHO. As you said, the PG-13 rating would open up a far bigger potential audience, and I will be shocked if the studio signs up for an R rating, given the target audience. Still, The Matrix movies were rated R, and they did very well at the box office (the original even deserved it), so who knows?
Brian
Most times subject matter should drive the rating. With a character like Wolverine who goes into berserker rages with the weapons at his disposal, it would make sense for it to be R.
They just barely touched on his true nature in X-Men 2 during the school invasion.
Vic
Point taken, but would it be wise at this point to stray from the Wolverine character who is already familiar to audiences?
Brian
The Wolverine film should be rated at least R. I'm sure that they are going to screw this one up, just like the X-Men films. They made him a pansy, too tall, too skinny, and too short sideburns. With no offense meant to Mr. Jackman, he did good with what he had to work with.
I am currently involved in making an independant fan-film based on the characters early years (can't be specific to avoid ruining it for those that already know about the film). I co-wrote, and star in the film. I am about 5'6", 185+lbs., have 4" long chops, and am pretty well built and cut.
We are on hold for a short time right now, due to shoulder injury, and we decided that I should bulk up to around 210lbs., to look almost identical to Wolverine (issues 1-4 new run).
All thoughts and comments are welcome back.
Thanks.
Sam, good luck with that. I really don't think they'll rate it R, and to be honest I think that even in the comics (the one's I've read, anyway) they've always had to water down the character as well.
Of course these days they get away with a lot more in comics by coloring the blood black instead of red. :confused:
Vic
Please, let it be R-rated! Anything but PG-13 or (vade retro) PG.
I totally agree with you, Vic: most comics are watered down. Wolverine deserves a dark, bitter and slightly twisted movie, with due realism. The characater could be so much more than what he is in the x-flicks and comics. So much more.
I just saw X3 yesterday and I was sadly let down by it. Don't get me wrong, it was an OK action movie, but after X2 I was expecting something better, not something OK. And 'cause of that, I'm a bit inclined to fearing, that our hopes on a R-rated Wolvie-movie are in vain. You know how it is. Money talks and...
Tough if they'd actually make it, I'd be the first in line to see it twice on screen AND to buy the DVD (and not to wait for years for the price to sink as I'm going to do with X3). And the T-shirt, novel, comic... :wink:
Sorry to hear you were disappointed in X3. I've heard that it's great on the action front but a step down in regards to character development. I haven't had the time to check it out yet myself.
Vic
Go on and see it Vic, I should be VERY interested in your review of it. :wink:
Your wish is my command... review of "X-Men: The Last Stand" is posted. :D
Vic
Fantastic! I'll go there now! :D
