Marvel Studios confirmed more R-rated MCU movies are being considered for the super-powered franchise. Thus far, the interconnected comic book universe has dabbled in more mature content with major releases like Deadpool & Wolverine and Daredevil: Born Again, but it has not made a specific push toward an R-rated vertical under its greater content umbrella. That does not mean Deadpool 3 and Daredevil were one-off experiments, though.
The franchise already has R-rated titles like the long-gestating Blade movie, this fall's Marvel Zombies, a second season of Born Again due next year, and the skull-cracking Punisher Special Presentation on the docket. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, the MCU dipping into R-rated content will not slow down anytime soon if it makes sense for the specific story any particular project is telling.
Feige confirmed the MCU R-rated train is not slowing down in a recent conversation with Deadline. In that interview, the long-standing Marvel executive posited that more R-rated MCU movies will happen "where appropriate and where necessary:"
Q: "Are there more R-rated MCU movies after making the highest grossing R-rated movie of all-time with Deadpool & Wolverine at $1.33 billion?"
A: "Where appropriate and where necessary."
Mahershala Ali's Blade remains the only confirmed R-rated film on the Marvel Studios slate, but this indicates that Feige and the MCU brass may have plans for further mature big-screen fare in the franchise in the future.
The MCU returns to theaters this week with the release of Fantastic Four: First Steps on Friday, July 25. However, the next most imminent R-rated Marvel Studios project is the upcoming Marvel Zombies series, an animated adventure following a group of Marvel heroes fighting the undead in a post-apocalyptic comic book universe.
The MCU's R-Rated Future
As it stands, there are four R-rated MCU projects on the calendar for the costumed brand: Marvel Zombies, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, the Punisher Special Presentation, and Blade. And Blade is the only one of those titles that is an R-rated movie.
The Marvel Studios brain trust (including Kevin Feige) has maintained that Blade is still happening despite its years stuck on the treadmill of development hell. Beyond that, it is unclear what the next R-rated cinematic adventure within the MCU will be.
The most obvious choice for the next R-rated MCU movie after Blade would be whatever the studio does next with Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool franchise. Deadpool & Wolverine was a massive hit for the studio when it was released in July 2024, earning rave reviews as well as raking in over $1 billion at the global box office despite its R-rating.
So, it would make sense that the studio would look to do another Deadpool-centered movie sooner rather than later, bringing audiences yet another R-rated romp featuring the Merc with a Mouth.
