Batman v Superman: What You Need to Know about the R-rating

9 years ago

When it was announced that the Batman v Superman Ultimate Cut will be rated R, quite a few (Marvel) fans said that Warner Bros. is riding the coattails of Deadpool. Is this really so?

Entertainment Weekly had the chance to talk with Zack Snyder, Charles Roven (producer), and Ben Affleck about this issue. And, as it was revealed, the R-rating for the DVD release was being planned since before Deadpool arrived on the big screens. It shouldn't be a surprise, though, since Zack Snyder directed three R-rated movies out of a total of six, with one of those being even harder in its Ultimate Cut (Watchmen).

So what do you need to know about this new version of Batman v Superman? As Charles Roven explains, it isn't necessarily the violence or the sex or the drugs that earn a movie an R-rating. Instead, according to him, it is the intensity of the scenes - in a way, he talks about the psychological impact a normal, yet intense, scene might have on younger audiences. For that matter, he said that some scenes from the movie were cut down because of their intensity. So an Ultimate Cut would make the most of these scenes.

Ben Affleck said that it is a very good move for the studio to release an R-rated version of Batman v Superman. As the actor says, the superhero genre is no longer just for kids, given the ideas it tackles. And this means that the audience has become larger than ever before - from this point of view, the studio can win only if an R-rated version of the movie is made available.

Zack Snyder also talked about the R-rating of Batman v Superman:

I'm a parent of young kids, and I feel like I wouldn't want to have a Batman v Superman that I couldn't show to my younger kids. But on the same token, as an adult, I like to see movies that are R-rated. I think nowadays, because we have so many means of distribution and ways that we can do different things, it's the creative solution to a creative challenge.

So, according to him, this is a win-win situation. The children can enjoy one version of the movie, while the adults can indulge themselves with a longer and more elaborate one. At the same time, the studio cashes in.

The director also said that he was inspired by Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy to make the decision to release an R-rated Batman v Superman Ultimate Cut. And this version will include some very special details.

For example, Jena Malone's role will finally be revealed. The fans will learn about her role only when the Batman v Superman Ultimate Cut is released. And that is because, according to the director, her role reveals some details about future DCEU projects. Zack Snyder also said that the actress isn't portraying Batgirl, just as she isn't the first female Robin to arrive on the big screen. So, who could she be?

Is Jena Malone playing the Aquaman character Kahina the Seer? (source Movie Web)

The director also said that some characters will get a bit more backstory when the new version of Batman v Superman arrives. But, at the same time, actors who don't appear in the cinematic version will also be featured:

There's a couple, like Ahman Green, the running back from the Green Bay Packers, he's in it. And C.T. Fletcher is like this bodybuilder muscle-guru from Compton, this awesome guy. He's amazing, and he's in it. And then there's just a lot of these Easter Eggs in the Director's Cut that I think are gonna be fun for everyone.

What kind of Easter Eggs? The director said that they will knock the socks off fans - so let the speculation begin!

As far as this latter detail is concerned, we believe that it shouldn't be kept just for the Ultimate Cut version. Maybe the cinematic version of Batman v Superman should include everything that will ultimately have an impact on other DCEU movies. This would justify the admission price of a single ticket, since we wouldn't have to rely on tie-in merchandise in order to make the most of the experience.