Superhero flicks - they aren't just for kids. But we guess you knew that already, since there have been tons of comic books written especially for more mature audiences. Unfortunately, Hollywood is a big money-making machine, so it wants to attract as many viewers as possible - and an R-rated movie leaves out quite a few niches.

Well, as many of us have expected, Daredevil succeeded in showing that an R-rated superhero flick can make big money. Actually, it went even further, completely obliterating expectations and records - in just four days, it made more than five times its budget! And this is an achievement, earning more than quite a few Marvel flicks released to date (whether released by Fox or by Marvel Studios).

So, obviously, we want this to be just the beginning. We want more R-rated superhero flicks that aren't afraid to be their own thing (as James Gunn says) and that may be outside the box. Freedom is what is needed - we know that money needs to be made, but we also know that it can be. Deadpool stuck close to the comics and here it is now: $316 million worldwide (and counting) in less than a week.

Thank goodness, there are quite a few superheroes who can duplicate the same R-rated success!

Wolverine 3

Let's just name the most obvious movie that deserves a more mature rating: Wolverine 3. The first one was written, at first, with this rating in mind - it didn't stick, so the script was changed (we all saw the result). The second one was darker, but it still lacked something - after all, the character is known for regenerating from the most gruesome wounds and for his slashing abilities (if we can call them that). The third installment hasn't arrived just yet, but we can look forward to its March 3, 2017 release date.

And it will (most likely) adapt the Old Man Logan storyline.

Can you tell us how this could work with a PG-13 rating? No, you can't. And, apparently, the studio (yes, the same Fox the fans mocked when comparing it to Marvel Studios) also believes that it needs to be R-rated. We don't know just yet if it will be so, but we certainly hope so.

What good is having an indestructible character if you can't riddle him with bullets, burn him to a crisp, or cut him to his adamantium bones? What good are those adamantium claws if they aren't used to their full potential?

Let Wolverine have a bloodbath in its final outing and, sooner rather than later, even the most hardcore fans of Hugh Jackman will ask for a recasting.

X-Force

As said, let's get the most obvious movies out of the way. X-Force is the second on this list, and it should be R-rated, even if only because Deadpool will be in it. As Ryan Reynolds said, after battling the studios for more than a decade to do a proper Merc with a Mouth movie, his next goal is to make a proper X-Force movie (hopefully, it won't take the studio that long).

Yes, Fox will also produce this one. Apparently, the studio aims to make two different kinds of franchises in the same universe. One that can be enjoyed by everybody, with a tone of its own; and one especially for the hardcore fans that doesn't pull any punches.

It isn't known at this moment when the X-Force movie will be released (maybe a surprise announcement will reveal that it took the scheduled release date of Fant4astic 2). What is known is that we want it to be different; and Simon Kinberg also believes that it can even work with an R-rating (work from a box-office point of view).

We'll wait and see.

Ghost Rider

Up until now, we’ve had two Ghost Rider movies, but we can say that we’ve had none. As fun as it is to watch (at times) Nicholas Cage going bat-shit crazy on the big screen, these superhero movies were missed opportunities. We can even go so far as to say that they were less than that: they were literally pieces of doodoo, made just to cash in on the success of the superhero genre.

Can you at least remember when they were released, or what they had at the center of their plots? We can't.

How can you make a movie about a rider from Hell (literally), call it a horror-supernatural-superhero flick, and have it be a PG-13-rated movie? You simply cannot. And that is why someone needs to start it all over again, with a proper rating, with some proper villains, and with actual stakes.

We get it - it will probably need a bigger budget, since the main character has a flaming skull instead of a head. But imagine a movie in which the hero is scarier than the villains - we'd see it. Wouldn't you?

It is unlikely that Disney will want to release a horror flick - but Marvel can still make it and find another distributor. Even if Feige said in 2013 that they don't have immediate plans for the character, we guess that three years have been enough for him to reconsider his options.

Spawn

Back in 1997, Spawn was adapted for the big screen, just like Ghost Rider.  And just like the aforementioned movie, it was also rated PG-13 (even if the DVDs had an R-rated version, as well). And we cannot get our head around this: a fighter from hell dumbed down for more tickets to be sold.

But there is hope - much more than with Ghost Rider, since Spawn was published by Image Comics. We say that because the character doesn't need to be introduced or used in a larger shared universe. So he can go all-out in his own franchise, without any problems.

And Spawn will, most likely, be rebooted sometime very soon. Todd McFarlane (the character's creator) recently said that he has finished another script for a Spawn movie and that he hopes it will be a Hard-R. As it should be, we say.

Of course, it all depends on the project (with his script) being given the green light. Otherwise, all is for naught.

So bring Spawn back! And this time, do it properly!

Batman

It's a long shot, we know, but Batman could work pretty well in an R-rated flick. Of course, since the character is a part of the DCEU, there are literally no chances for this to work. But, if you saw the last Batman v Superman trailer (or, as a matter of fact, any of them), you know that this Dark Knight is completely different from any other silver screen incarnation.

He is so brutal that we even believe his one rule is nonexistent at this point. So maybe Warner Bros should think outside the box and make just one (we're not that greedy) adaptation R-rated.

And there are quite a few storylines which would work out pretty well. There are quite a few villains in Batman's rogue gallery who deserve some proper punishment (and we're not just thinking about the Joker).

Though it won't be a live-action film, the studio will release an R-rated animation, an adaptation of the celebrated The Killing Joke. We don't know what could convince the powers that be that a Caped Crusader movie would make good cash at the box office even if the children don't see it.

Maybe Batman v Superman will make tons of cash, and maybe Warner Bros. will borrow some balls from Fox.

Here's an idea that falls right into place with the appeal from Warner Bros. for multiple villains: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.

Nemesis

If we can't have an R-rated, live-action Batman, maybe Warner Bros will look towards some other characters. One of them is Nemesis, who isn't even a DC property (and could work in his own franchise, outside of the DCEU). Created by Mark Millar, the character left a strong impression with the fans, despite the four issues for which he was poorly received by the critics.

And this could work as a franchise, even if Nemesis dies in the end - after all, it is hinted that he was created by some sort of company who specializes in transforming rich people into supervillains.

And this is interesting, because each of the backstories can be written in a compelling way, which could actually make the villains more relatable than the hero.

So maybe we won't have an R-rated Batman. But we can have the next best thing, especially since Nemesis' story has been called many a times a what if the Batman was the Joker.

Oh - the movies adapting Mark Millar's stories are Kick Ass at the box office. You don't have to be a Kingsman, with countless resources all over the world, to know that.

The Sandman

Moving away from the mainstream DC stories, The Sandman comes from the Vertigo imprints. It’s the story of Morpheus, who is one of the Endless, and Dream itself. Imagine the possibilities, just knowing this little bit about the character.

But there is more to know - created by Neil Gaiman, the story of Morpheus is a perfect blend of mythology, history, and horror. So from the start we know that it shouldn't be dumbed down for bigger box-office success.

As a matter of fact, Neil Gaiman himself said that he'd rather see no Sandman movie at all than to see a bad one.

Luckily, Warner Bros announced back in 2013 that David S. Goyer will produce the movie, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt set to star (and, as the actor teased, also direct). And this is more than an awesome idea.

Unfortunately, we haven't heard a peep out of any of the powers that be. And it has already been about a year since JGL talked about the project. Does it mean it’s dead? Well, not necessarily, since the actor also said that they’re taking their time in order to find the perfect formula for the adaptation. Will it be R-rated? We can only hope so.

Venom vs. Carnage

Moving back to Marvel superheroes, we have Venom vs. Carnage, which cannot happen in the MCU - it’s too risky even for Marvel to come up with such a concept. However, as far as we know, Sony shares the rights, and it can also make movies based on Spider-Man characters.

And this would be the perfect chance for the studio to redeem itself - by doing a proper movie featuring Venom as an anti-hero and throwing some Carnage into the mix. It would be hardcore, it would be R-rated, and it would be exactly what these characters deserve.

At this point, Sony has nothing to lose as far as superheroes are concerned. So why not throw it all in and do a Venom vs. Carnage movie, which could lead into two separate franchises? The studio has the money (as seen from the overwhelming marketing campaign for the last Amazing Spider-Man movie), and this could be a hit.

Look at Deadpool and say that Venom vs. Carnage is of no interest to you.

Punisher

We know - there have already been three Punisher movies, but none of them actually worked. And we know that now Netflix is doing a marvelous job with the character in Daredevil Season 2 - thus far, there has been no confirmation of the Netflix characters making the jump to the big screen.

But as far as anti-heroes go, Punisher is one who deserves another shot. We highly doubt that this R-rated movie will ever be made, given the shared universe he'd have to be a part of. But we don't care. We want to see Frank Castle imparting justice as only he can, and we want to see it in even the smallest of details.

Think about this - Marvel isn't shy when it comes to killing villains. Have Frank Castle in his solo movie, make him go against countless villains, and have him kill them all. At least he is not a superhero, and at least people won't get to say that he shouldn't do that because he is fighting on the side of Good.

Day-dreaming this is - but Marvel has the capacity to do it right. All it needs is the will.

Lobo

Switching back to DC, the Main Man is long overdue - when will Warner Bros. finally realize that Lobo can bring in the audiences? He is, basically, Marvel's Punisher and Wolverine glued into the same character (and since we're talking Marvel, the legendary Stan Lee said that Lobo is his favorite DC creation).

There was a time when we believed that the Rock will bring him to life. Now Danny Trejo teases this role (we aren't so sure though). One way or another, the bounty hunter needs to find his place in the DCEU. It could start with just a simple cameo, but it should lead into a hard R-rated solo flick.

DC and Warner Bros. both love good villains - for God's sake, they are doing a whole movie all about them. Can't Lobo get the same treatment?