Deadpool’s monumental box office success proved to studios that there is a huge audience for R-rated movies. Not only did it go on to gross over $762 million at the box office, a total that means it’s now the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, but it was also met with widespread critical acclaim.
This immediately led to speculation and rumors that other superheroes and comic-book properties will soon get the R-rated treatment. Filmmakers working on Warner Bros’ DC Extended Universe have already teased that future films, primarily Suicide Squad 2 , could be R-rated, but what about the studio that currently reigns supreme in the superhero genre: Marvel?
There’s no denying that, after the critical and financial success of Captain America: Civil War , Marvel Studios are still well and truly at the top of the comic-book genre. As the studio’s president, Kevin Feige has been heaped with praise for how he has architected this resounding triumph.
Kevin Feige Shares His Thoughts on DEADPOOL, R-Rated Marvel Film, and Solo HULK Movie https://t.co/gzUxxEaw6I — pic.twitter.com/1x910KOdST
— GeekTyrant (@GeekTyrant) May 9, 2016
Rather sensibly, Kevin Feige has now admitted that there are currently no plans to adjust Marvel’s plans for their Cinematic Universe by incorporating an R-rated adventure into their slate.
After being quizzed by Deadline about whether Deadpool’s success had led to discussions about Marvel making their own more adult-tinged superhero film, Feige admitted, “No, we’ve not had any specific conversations about that.”
But Kevin Feige was then quick to insist that Deadpool’s success wasn’t just down to its R rating, adding that it connected with an audience so emphatically because it was so unique.
“The thing that Deadpool shows is, when you present something unique to an audience, they will respond to it,” Feige explained. “When you present something as popular as a superhero character, in a different and unique and crazy way as they did in Deadpool , it demands attention and audiences went to it. They pulled it off. Tim Miller did a tremendous job.”
Feige continued by insisting that Deadpool’s creative team, which consisted of director Tim Miller, writers Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick, and producers Simon Kinberg, Ryan Reynolds, and Lauren Shuler Donner, deserve huge credit for being so loyal to the comics and having the titular character break the fourth wall, talking into the camera, bad-mouthing all of the other superheroes, and just having a very flippant and lackadaisical attitude.
Feige added, “We’ve always said if there’s any ‘secret’ it’s respect the source material, understand the source material and then, any adaptation you make from the source material should be done only to enhance whatever the original pure spirit of the source material was. Deadpool hit on all cylinders with that.”
Obviously, Kevin Feige knows quite a bit when it comes to successfully adapting comic book films, having now brought 13 installments to the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the last eight years. Captain America: Civil War was the latest effort to reinforce Marvel’s status as the kings of the genre, as it has already grossed over $940 million at the box office.
Kevin Feige Explains Why ‘Deadpool’ Hasn’t Convinced Marvel to Make an R-Rated Movie https://t.co/lHEH9Sz0x2 pic.twitter.com/bGRUkwIFnC
— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) May 7, 2016
In fact, thanks to Captain America: Civil War’s sensational haul, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has just surpassed $10 billion at the box office, and with Doctor Strange due out at the end of this year and then Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 , Spider-Man: Homecoming , and Thor: Ragnarok to be released in 2017, Black Panther , Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 , and Ant-Man and The Wasp in cinemas in 2018, and then Captain Marvel and Avenger: Infinity War – Part 2 hitting in 2019, the future is still looking very, very rosy and profitable for the Kevin Feige and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Who needs R-rated films?
[Image via 20th Century Fox]