For years now, comic book movies have been some of the most profitable films on the market. Thanks to their nostalgic nature, explosive fun, diverse characters, and PG-13 ratings, comic book films have been able to draw in all sorts of wide audiences all across the globe. However, depending on the character or comic book, an R-rating is often necessary in order to be more faithful to the source material.
In the past though, R-rated comic book movies have struggled to be as profitable as their PG-13 counterparts. Despite this, recent successes such as Deadpool (2016) and Joker (2019) have proven otherwise, opening all sorts of new opportunities for R-rated comic book movies. To look back at some of the bigger successes, here is our list of the 10 most successful R-rated comic book movies according to Box Office Mojo.
NOTE: Numbers Approximated in Millions
Watchmen (2009) ($185)
Considering how the Watchmen comic is often considered to be one of the best comics of all time, it would make sense that the film adaptation would also fare well. In 2009, director Zack Snyder brought the comic to life, using his own unique style to craft a uniquely dark cinematic experience.
Though it received mixed reactions upon its initial release, the Watchmen: Director’s Cut received much more positive feedback. However, despite the minor changes made to the story, the film’s cast was always highly praised, especially Jackie Earl Haley’s portrayal of Rorschach. After everything was said and done, Watchmen earned an impressive $185 million, earning it a spot on this list as well as a rank among the greats.
Constantine (2005) ($230)
As an adaptation of the popular Hellblazer series, 2005’s Constantine has been a popular cult film virtually since its release. In this incredibly dark supernatural murder mystery, John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) uncovers some interesting revelations about Heaven and Hell that could potentially end the world.
Despite the mixed reviews, Constantine actually managed to rake in an impressive $230 million total thanks to its success overseas. Furthermore, as a comic book film, it could have been a bit more faithful interpretation of the character. Though Reeves delivers a strong performance, he doesn’t really feel like the same character from the comics. Regardless, the film still managed to more than double its budget, landing it as the 9th most successful R-rated comic book film of all time.
300: Rise of an Empire (2014) ($337)
Though not as impressive as the original, 300: Rise of an Empire still managed to make over $355 million. Unlike most other sequels, Rise of an Empire is neither a direct sequel, nor a prequel. Instead, it focuses on the Greek’s role as a whole in the conflict both before, during and after the original film.
Shot in the same style as the original, Rise of an Empire did receive praise for its visual style and the actor’s performances. However, with a bigger budget than the first and a smaller profit, the original remains the far superior film.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) ($410)
As yet another R-rated sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle actually managed to get incredibly close to the original, only missing the mark by a small $4 million. Like with the original, The Golden Circle received high praise for its humor and cast performances. Really the only thing that hindered the sequel was in its slightly less inspired approach to the spy/espionage genre.
Though it is still a fantastic film, the first one was just able to capture a bit more magic. Needless to say, the entire Kingsman franchise has been very successful thus far, and a prequel installment is set to hit theaters in 2020. Despite being so close to the first in terms of financial success, Kingsman: The Golden Circle still deserves its spot on this list.
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) ($414)
Speaking of the original. 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service captivated audiences everywhere by breathing a whole new life into the spy genre. Functioning as both an homage to some classic films while also telling a refreshing and modern story, it is easy to see why the film was such a success.
Likewise, Matthew Vaughn’s direction fits perfectly within the world of Mark Millar’s original vision, offering enough differences from the book to still be interesting, but not such a departure that fans of the book wouldn’t enjoy it. Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a great, complete package, offering enough for everyone to enjoy while still telling a simple, classic spy story.
300 (2007) ($456)
While the sequel could have fared a bit better, the original 300 is still a great cinematic achievement. Zack Snyder’s style just fits nicely within the entire aesthetic of the film, finding a great balance between Frank Miller’s original story while modernizing it at the same time.
300 actually went on to win several nominations and awards, serving as one of the earlier examples of what comic book films can do. Likewise, coming from a modest budget of $65 million, it is easy to see how successful it was overall.
Logan (2017) ($619)
Featuring Hugh Jackman’s last appearance in the iconic role, Logan served as the perfect end to Fox’s version of the Wolverine character. As an R-rated film, Wolverine felt as though he were finally pulled from the comics. With a much darker direction and story, Logan gave Wolverine fans what they had been craving since X-Men (2000).
Even aside from getting the character right, Logan had an absolutely incredible story. Focusing on the father/daughter dynamic between him and X-23 made for one of Jackman’s more emotional performances in recent memory. For the whole package, it is easy to see why Logan was such a monumental success.
Deadpool (2016) ($782)
Many people were surprised to see Deadpool reach such a high level of success. In a time where studios had very little faith in R-rated comic book movies, Deadpool managed to prove everyone wrong, becoming the highest grossing R-rated movie at the time (domestically). Thanks to Deadpool’s incredible success, doors began to open for many other comic book films.
Likewise, the characterization was perfect. Ryan Reynolds made for a perfect Deadpool, while the script was just as wacky and zany as the comics. With Deadpool being such a popular comic character, it would make sense that that popularity would translate for such a faithful adaptation.
Deadpool 2 (2018) ($785)
Despite such a narrow margin, Deadpool 2 owes a portion of its success to the re released PG-13 version of the film, Once Upon A Deadpool. Though the sequel itself would have still been a very successful film, the only reason it surpassed the original was thanks to the rerelease.
Like the first one, the sequel took everything great about Deadpool and brought it back, this time with a much larger cast. With the addition of Josh Brolin as Cable, Deadpool 2 succeeded in capturing more of Deadpool’s history. In regards to quality, both films could be argued as the better one, but for different reasons. In terms of success though, Deadpool 2 remains the higher grossing film, landing it as the 2nd highest grossing R-rated comic book film.
Joker (2019) ($1 Billion +)
At the moment, Todd Phillips’ Joker film starring Joaquin Phoenix continues to blow all other R-rated movies out of the water. Now the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time, Joker has redefined everything that the comic book movie genre can be. Likewise, considering how it had a budget of $55 million, it is easily one of the most successful films ever.
With its total continuing to grow, Joker will likely remain the highest grossing R-rated film for a long time. Even beyond its massive financial success, Joker has been a hit with the fans as well, making it easy to see how it has come this far. However, considering how it has made this much money without releasing in China, Joker is certainly a cinematic success story for the ages.