15 Fixes To Save The DC Extended Universe
14. Don't Be Afraid Of The R-Rating
Deadpool's jaw-dropping box office success categorically proved that you don't need a PG-13 rating to succeed if the material is right, considering that it outgrossed Man of Steel by over $100 million, and was less than $100 million shy of beating Batman v Superman. Who could've seen that coming?
Given that the DCEU has a distinctly darker tone than the MCU, why not give the R-rating a chance and release a big tentpole that way to see how it fares? Considering that Fox are already pressing ahead with an R-rated Wolverine movie in light of Deadpool's success, Warner Bros. would curry a lot of favour with grown-up fans if they touted the prospect of a harder-hitting superhero movie not constrained by the need to sell lunchboxes.
Yes, it would be a massive financial risk, so one can understand something like Justice League not being R-rated, but perhaps it's an experiment worth inflicting upon Ben Affleck's upcoming solo Batman movie. If any upcoming DCEU movie would benefit from being R, it's surely that.