You must’ve seen the 6th episode of The Boys or you’re interested in Herogasm if you’re here. Today we are not going to dive into the Boys episode 6, but instead, we will discuss why R-rated things like Herogasm are needed.
Ever since we are getting superhero movies, they’re been heavily kids friendly. Now there are many reasons why it’s happening and one of these reasons is MONEY. Studios want to attract as many people to their movies as possible.
However, comics come with a lot of freedom compared to movies and shows. Amazon Prime’s The Boys has broken these stereotypes by creating a full-fledged R-rated TV show based on the widely popular comic “The Boys“.
This show was R rated from the moment it started. I am very grateful that the makers kept it the way it is. If we talk about Marvel and DC, it’s a new trend to ruin amazing R-rated characters by making their PG-13 movies and shows.
This way, these studios have ruined so many characters. Prime examples of these characters are Scarlett Witch, Doctor Strange, Moon Night, Spider-Man, and Venom. The true potential of these characters can only be explored if they’re R-rated.
This is the only reason for the success of Deadpool. We can’t even think of Deadpool cracking some kid’s jokes and roaming around on streets with lights lightsabers. He has to be a complete R rated in order to explore his true and highest powerful form.
The question is, are those powers explored? and the answer is NO. Despite being R rated, there are still a lot of restrictions studios are making to widen the audience. People want to see their superheroes going wild, having sex, murdering the villains brutally, crossing and pushing their limits in the fights and wars.
If we talk about The Boys, you can’t even think about watching it with family haha. It’s brutal, Dark, Bloody, and full of Gore. In the comics, the same goes for all the characters I mentioned above. But when it comes to live-action, the studies are not just ready to show us what we want to see.
Let’s discuss the reasons one by one;
No Risk Policy
All major studios want to be risk-free and that’s why they don’t just want to take risks by making R-rated movies. Adult content is and was a pure form of risk and that’s why there is a very less number of R-rated superhero movies.
Bugdet
To create and show the real madness with mayhem, takes a ton of money. Great visuals, stormy movie making, and a heart-wrenching storyline require money and great directors with visions. The majority of movie studios don’t want to take risks which is why they don’t spend a lot on bloody and classy superhero movies.
I personally still think it will take a lot of time till we get a proper R-rated face-off between Spider-Man and Venom, Scarlett Witch and Mutants, Doctor Strange and Kang The Conquerer, and many more.
Many comic books are still a dream of too many people to see in live-action with their favorite actors on big and silver screens. If the audience will step up and raise their voice on what they need, studios might take the first step and take a one-time risk to see if we can support their R-rated movies.
Wide Audience
We all know that if the movie is PG 13, the audience gets wider a lot very easily. The chance of that movie being a hit gets higher a lot while in R-rated, there are countless fans but still very few compared to PG movies. Kids are a big number of movie watchers and if studies think of keeping them out, it’s a big impact on earnings as well.
Less Money
Now, this particular myth is already busted with Deadpool, and Joker but still no R-rated movies have made money like Infinity War, Endgame, etc and those are PG-13 ones. Now we must agree that R-rated movies can’t cross 2 or 3 Billion dollars just like that. The movie should be really really well made to even think about such a milestone.
Fewer Sales
Even Blu-rays and Disk sales of R-rated movies and shows are noticeably lower and the reason is families. People buy Blu-Rays to watch movies and shows at home with their families. They can’t do it if the content is R-rated and family-friendly.
Conclusion
Yes, even in these times making an R-rated movie or show is a heavy risk but the audience has been way more supportive than previously. Joker crossing 1 Billion and the success of Peacemaker and James Gunns’s Suicide Squad shows that audience still loves the R-rated content and is ready to watch it if it’s made in a good format with everything great.
It’s time for studies to understand our needs and give us what we need. Imagine how great it would’ve been to see Elizabeth Olson playing Scarlett Witch and killing all the mutants one by one.
Imagine Scarlett Witch saying her famous dialogue “No More Mutants” being peak level angry, powerful, and bloody. Imagine Deadpool being sexy af and being a fluid sexual. Imagine the bloody train sequence of Omni man and Invincible in a live-action form, Imagine Doctor Strange opening the REAL madness and fighting with high-power villains like Kang The Conquerer and Thanos, and many more.
Either studios need to make only R-rated content with their R-rated characters or we should get to watch separate R-rated franchises and universes of superheroes. There’s no denial that R-rated content can be more mature and fun if made with perfection and lots of fun moments.
Let’s hope that we will get to see Joker’s real madness; not his musicals and Harley Quinn having sex with Poison Ivy someday; not just cracking up on their lame jokes and awkward laughs.