There’s a reason it took years for 20th Century Fox to greenlightDeadpool. It’s a risky movie—its R-rating is limiting (well,supposedly), its handsome leading man is disfigured and masked for over half the film, and it breaks with story conventions in a big way by having Deadpool directly address the audience. The perseverance and passion of all involved paid off in spades, though, as the filmbroke a number of box office records, including the highest opening of anyX-Menmovie ever. That ishugeany way you slice it, and especially when you consider the film’s R-rating.
So theDeadpoolgamble paid off. But does this mean we’re about to get a slew of R-rated superhero movies? Perhaps, but it’s important to realize that the R-rating forDeadpoolwasn’t something decided upon flippantly. It was in service of the very specific tone of the film, so noteverysuperhero movie needs to be R-rated. That said, withDeadpoolexisting in a larger superhero universe that includes theX-Men, Wolverine, and an upcomingGambitspinoff, could we see non-DeadpoolFox movies take on the R-rating?
Speaking at a Q&A followingCollider’s exclusive IMAX preview screeningofDeadpool, producerSimon Kinberg—who is essentially the overseer of Fox’s superhero universe—was asked whether there were any other specific properties he could envision being R-rated:
“I think there are some stories that could be R-rated. I don’t know what they are, I mean I think the mainline X-Men movies have their own tone, which is a more operatic tone. It’s more dramatic, it is more PG-13 in a way.X-ForceI could see being R-rated, and who knows?”
Rob Liefeldwas quick to point out that Kinberg’s last bit there would become a headline (and, as evidenced by this article, it has!), so the producer clarified he’s not sayingX-Forcewillbe Rated-R, but itcouldbe:
“I’m saying I could imagine a universe in which [X-Forceis R-rated].”
Indeed,DeadpoolstarRyan Reynoldsrecently saidmaking anX-Forcemovie was his next priority, and it stands to reason if Deadpool is going to be the anchor that holds the X-Force together, an R-rating would be fitting. What is X-Force, you may be wondering? The comics team is essentially a slightly darker, more aggressive version of the X-Men, with members including Deadpool, Colossus, Cyclops, Archangel, Wolverine, and Cable. That last one—Cable—is the characterDeadpooldirectorTim Millerand his team most want to tackle in thenow-guaranteedDeadpoolsequel, so it makes sense that followingDeadpool 2, we could see anX-Forcemovie kick up some serious steam.
But that’s likely a long ways off.Kick-Ass 2directorJeff Wadlowwas previously developingX-Forceat Fox a few years ago, but his iteration of the project fell by the wayside. For now, Fox’s priority will no doubt be to continue building out itsX-Menuniverse with aDeadpoolsequel and a solidGambitmovie,thenwe can likely start talking aboutX-Force. Whichmay or may notbe Rated R.
Watch the full Q&A from our IMAX screening below, which includes Kinberg, Miller, and Liefeld.
