The director of an upcoming MCU film just confirmed that it will be rated R, meaning that it will join Deadpool 3 as the only movies in the franchise to achieve the mature rating.
Throughout Marvel history, only a handful of films have been officially rated R by the MPAA, with the most notable being Deadpool and Deadpool 2.
However, as the MCU continues to usher in new eras and characters, fans will start to see more mature stories told onscreen starting with Disney+'s Echo, which was recently given a TV-MA rating - the television equivalent to being rated R.
Many fans thought that Deadpool 3 would rightfully be the only upcoming theatrical release within the MCU to sport the R-rating, as it was already confirmed that it would be just as mature as the first two films that took place outside of the MCU.
Blade To Be Rated R
In an interview with Deadline, Blade director Yann Demange confirmed that Marvel Studios gave him the green light for an R-rating for the film.
Demange stated that Marvel "gave [him] the R," and the director even described what a relief that was to him, saying that it was "so important" that it achieved that rating.
The director also discussed how much "fun" he will have making the film, particularly since he is working alongside Mahershala Ali, a person that Demange described as "a deep actor:"
"I come out of this wanting to be more open, more vulnerable and bring a more personal aspect to my work. But for 'Blade,' we are going to have fun because Mahershala is such a deep actor."
Demange then went on to tease what fans can expect to see in Blade, specifically stating that Ali's character will display "ruthlessness" and "roughness," which will likely translate to a violent depiction of the vampire hunter:
"I’m excited to show a kind of ruthlessness, a roughness he has, that allows him to walk the earth in a particular way. I love him for that. He’s got a dignity and integrity, but there is a ferocity there that he usually keeps under the surface. I want to unleash that and put it on the screen."
Does Blade Deserve To Be Rated R?
For the most part, superhero films don't need to go the extra mile to try and achieve an R-rating, but Blade is a little different.
Like Deadpool, the Blade character deals with mature supernatural themes and sequences that aren't nearly as impactful if done incorrectly.
Marvel Studios could have played it safe and forced director Yann Demange to make the upcoming movie PG-13, but the final product would have likely been inferior to what will eventually be released.
Blade is a vampire hunter at his core, and brutal one in every sense of the word. If Deadpool 3 needed to be rated R with part of Wade Wilson's charm being his foul mouth, then Blade needs to have the same rating because of how ruthless, aggressive, and violent Eric Brooks is.
Blade is currently set to be released in theaters on February 14, 2025.
