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Rated R Films Not Allowed To Be Seen By Little Kids — Movie Theaters Enabling ‘No 6 After 6’ Rule

By Tony Smejek
Published on: 10:24 PST, Mar 17, 2016

With a R-rated comic book movie out in theaters and the prospective buzz of other superhero projects following suit, chances are your child won’t be able see them. AMC Theaters and Cinemark have declared a “No 6 After 6” rule, for now, according to Cinema Blend. The rule dictates that no child under the age of six can see an R-rated film after 6 p.m., even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The reason being is that adult movie patrons have expressed their disapproval of unruly children and crying infants acting up during R-rated films. Such distractions can impede upon the enjoyment of the movie so action was taken. Regal Cinemas is also jumping on the movie ruling movement.

Tim League, owner of the Alamo Drafthouse theater chain, was the pioneer of this cause, according to Cinema Blend, and presented to the public a couple of PSAs (Public Service Announcements) to even keep unruly adults in check. The Drafthouse was put together by League in 1997 along with his wife, Karrie.

Their place of business caters to serving food and drinks during the course of a screening, providing a great movie going experience. That being said, Tim is pretty forthright in voicing his concerns about children of a certain age even being present. Apparently, it’s been quietly catching on, regardless of the motion picture rating system though the R-rated rule has its own statement.

“Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent Or Adult Guardian.”

Now the ruling has an exception at select theaters after 6 p.m. Regal is making it all day long and CEO Amy Miles had the following to say regarding the quality of their movie going experience.

“At Regal, it’s our job to provide the best moviegoing experience for our patrons, and we want to make sure there are minimal interruptions during R-rated movies. We best achieve this through controlling the number of children in these films.”

Though movie theaters may have some loss of revenue by not admitting children under six into their theaters, they figured keeping adult customers satisfied would probably do well in order to ensure repeat patrons. No one wants to go away from their movie experience with a bad taste in their mouth.

The R-rated “No 6 After 6” rule applies to all 22 Alamo Drafthouses and League expressed the nature of how some kids can be with their line of questioning, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“We tried to determine at what age a kid can behave themselves and not blurt out the first thing in their heads.”

Over at Geek Tyrant, there was something noticed in regard to parents taking their kids more so to R-rated movies. Even to showings happening late at night, which is likely surprising. One may think that the child will sleep through the film, but low and behold it was noticed that some will sit and watch it straight through. The writer at Geek Tyrant gave his account as a child at the age of eight.

“I was 8 years old when I saw my first R-rated movie in theaters. My dad and my uncle took me to see James Cameron’s Aliens, and it was one of the coolest experiences of my life. So I’m not a prude when it comes to R-rated flicks. But how young is too young?”

But it doesn’t stop there, because there is the question of the extreme content, like in Deadpool, to even be appropriate for children in the single digits. So is there even really a point to have them there, unless they couldn’t find someone to look after the kids so mom and dad could have date night?

That said, R-rated movies are more likely to be enjoyed by adults, where the attention spans of children have been ascertained to be shorter, leading to action to keep kids under age six out of the movie theaters entirely.

[Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images]

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