‘Wolverine 3’ Eyes R Rating After ‘Deadpool’ Success
By Angie Han/Feb. 16, 2016 1:00 pm EST
Naturally, Hollywood has taken notice. For the past several days, the question has been whether Deadpool could spark a whole new wave of R-rated superhero movies. And while it’s too early to tell, it seems like 20th Century Fox, at least, is ready to take the plunge again. Rumor has it the studio is considering an R rating for the upcoming Wolverine movie, to be directed by James Mangold and star Hugh Jackman.
Assuming this is real, however (and it looks realistic enough to pass the sniff test, at least), an R-rated Wolverine is an intriguing possibility. It made sense for Deadpool to be rated R, since the character’s known for his rule-breaking, no-holds-barred sensibility. Wolverine, on the other hand, is a character who’s only ever appeared in the movies as a PG-13 character.
An R rating represents a big change of pace. It’s not a complete stretch – in X-Men: First Class, Wolverine was the guy who used up the one f-bomb allowed by the MPAA for PG-13 movies — but it definitely suggests we may get a much darker, more grown-up Wolverine than we’ve seen in years past.
Now, however, Deadpool’s performance has definitively proven that an R-rated superhero movie can do big business. And Wolverine might benefit from mixing it up. Despite being far and away the most popular and most recognizable X-Man, Wolverine has struggled in his attempts to fly solo on the big screen. 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine is one of the most reviled comic book movies in recent memory. 2013’s The Wolverine was more warmly received, especially among critics and international audiences, but it landed with a dull thud at home in America. To put things in perspective, Deadpool made about as much in its first weekend in the U.S. as The Wolverine did in its entire domestic run.
All of which suggests Wolverine could use some freshening up, and an R rating could allow him to do just that. Wolverine and Deadpool are very different characters, and it wouldn’t really make sense for Wolverine 3 replicate Deadpool’s formula too closely by adopting his gleefully unapologetic attitude toward explicit violence, language, and sexuality. But a Wolverine movie that has the freedom to embrace darker themes or saltier language or uglier violence? That could give Jackman and Mangold the room to explore the character in a way we haven’t seen before, even after over 15 years and over half a dozen movies.
Details on Wolverine 3 are still under wraps, but it’s believed to be based on the Old Man Logan plotline from the comics, in which a now-retired Wolverine goes on a road trip through a dystopian, supervillain-ruled future. Jackman has confirmed it will be his last outing as the character, whom he’s been playing since 2000’s X-Men. Patrick Stewart’s Professor X is said to play a significant role in the story.
