THE BATMAN Director Matt Reeves Explains Why Only Warner Bros. Mandate Was To Make The Movie PG-13

THE BATMAN Director Matt Reeves Explains Why Only Warner Bros. Mandate Was To Make The Movie PG-13

While there had been speculation that The Batman could follow in the footsteps of Joker by being another R-Rated film set in the Dark Knight's world, Matt Reeves explains why it was always set to be PG-13.

News
By JoshWilding - Feb 25, 2022 05:02 PM EST
Filed Under: The Batman
Source: Collider

It's been something of a bumpy ride for the DC Extended Universe since Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released in 2016, but Warner Bros. appears to be giving filmmaker Matt Reeves a lot of creative freedom in his "Batverse." The Batman looks set to reinvent the Dark Knight as the World's Greatest Detective, while two HBO Max spinoff shows are already in development. 

Talking to Collider, Reeves confirmed that he didn't have a lot of rules to abide by from studio bosses while making the movie, but admits that there was one specific mandate: The Batman had to be PG-13.

"They embraced it the whole time," the director said of his grounded, darker approach to the material. "There was never a moment where they said to me, 'Are you sure? Let's not.' They really leaned into everything, and I've had the support to...I have to say, this movie is exactly the movie I wanted it to be, and they have supported me all the way through it."

"One thing they did do, which was my intention from the beginning, was they said, 'Look, it's important to us that the movie be PG-13. It's a Batman movie, and we're investing so much in it,'" Reeves continued. "And I was like, 'Well, in the Apes movies, I tried to sort of find that balance as well.' I felt like in that same way, I knew that we could push the boundaries of what you could do in a PG-13 movie and still deliver everything I wanted to do." 

The director has previously confirmed that there's no secret R-Rated cut of The Batman hidden away somewhere, which is evident from the sheer number of toys that can be found on shelves. While the movie has earned a PG-13 rating in the U.S., that's not the case everywhere, and in the UK, it's a 15 (meaning no one under that age is allowed to watch the movie without an adult present).

It's definitely going to be fun to see how far Reeves was able to push the boundaries of PG-13 with The Batman, and we don't have long to wait until the movie arrives in theaters on Friday, March 4.

In the meantime, watch our interview with stars Jeffrey Wright and Paul Dano below:
 

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Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 2/25/2022, 5:05 PM
I mean yeah. It’s their biggest IP and having the broadest possible audience (while still maintaining tone) is the obvious choice. I’ve never felt that you needed to go rated R to make Batman or any other DC character work. I’d welcome it but I don’t think it’s essential or anything
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 2/25/2022, 9:04 PM
@Ha1frican - I agree.

Also, I'd think making sure this isn't a blood bath hard R keeps its from seeming like Snyder levels of violence that seemed borderline unnecessary.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 2/26/2022, 6:48 AM
@ElricReturns - See I’d argue the violence that felt unnecessary in Snyder’s movies wasn’t the gore at all. I had no issue with the unedited warehouse scene or Steppenwolf hacking people up but stuff that WAS in the PG-13 cut like mowing down thugs with machine guns in the Batmobile was where it was too far for me
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 2/26/2022, 12:13 PM
@Ha1frican - I was more speaking to Wonder Woman turning those bank robbers into goo and bags of broken bones, Superman maiming Steppenwolf unnecessarily by lazering off a horn, Batman stabbing a random henchmen in the balls with a knife after he already had him pinned to a wall.... it just felt like Snyder trying to ape Frank Miller's hyper violence. Let us not forget Xack cut his teeth in comics on the works of Frank Miller and Alan Moore, two men who put the GRAPHIC in graphic novels.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 2/26/2022, 6:32 PM
@ElricReturns - Well the first two I see no issue with really especially Wonder Woman who was killing people left in right in her own movie and has even talked about how she’s kills people in the comic. While the Batman thing was a little unnecessary he also didn’t stab him he just grabbed his balls. A wierd choice but not really overly gory, I’d argue there were like 10 things more brutal than that in that scene alone
dragon316
dragon316 - 2/27/2022, 7:43 AM
@Ha1frican - in batmobile shooting people that happen in frank miller comics blame comic artist for that one
dracula
dracula - 2/25/2022, 5:06 PM
cue the edge lords ignoring the part where he says thats was his intention and complaining about them "not letting him" make it r rated
ProudPatriot76
ProudPatriot76 - 2/25/2022, 5:07 PM
So question for y’all across the pond; when it says “no one under 15”….your folks couldn’t be with you and go see it?!
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/25/2022, 5:14 PM
@ProudPatriot76 - Think you can enter 16+ rated movies if you bring a parent, but I'm honestly not sure how they handle it where I live. Never tried it, and I'm far past that age now
Beltalowda
Beltalowda - 2/25/2022, 5:17 PM
@ProudPatriot76 - Nope! Under 15 can't get in regardless. They'll need a fake tash or a friend and a long coat. 😄
JohnCastillo
JohnCastillo - 2/25/2022, 10:45 PM
@ProudPatriot76 - Man I live in London and my little sister is devastated.. this is why I hate when people call for more R-Rated comic book films.. I was really excited to take my little sister, niece and nephew to see this. And yeah over here you can’t just sneak in, they will ask for identification at the door even if you’re with an adult.
dragon316
dragon316 - 2/25/2022, 5:07 PM
Batman doesn’t need r rated same with daredevil and moon knight don’t need r rated dark and series yes but not r rated
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/25/2022, 5:12 PM
I really don't understand the need for R for antrhing but horror to be honest. By now I've seen enough that with a PG-13 rating, a movie can and will be just as good
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/25/2022, 5:40 PM
@Waddles - even with Deadpool I don't think it's necessary. Only allowed to drop one [frick], and no dirty jokes or violence don't really take away a lot of his appeal
Typhoon20
Typhoon20 - 2/25/2022, 5:44 PM
@bkmeijer - Batman should be PG13 but you're downplaying the importance of an R rating. Logan, Dredd wouldn't have worked as well without that rating. Or The Boys, Invincible. Depends on the character/story I'd say.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/25/2022, 5:47 PM
@Typhoon20 - yeah you're right, I am. Think it is something that can be sacrificed relatively easy though, as I never really saw (or see) it as the most important element for stuff that doesn't need to be brutal (like Batman or Deadpool).

I admit it works for those examples though, as the story they are telling are not aimed at 13 year olds anyway. Then might as well make use of the rating.
Typhoon20
Typhoon20 - 2/25/2022, 7:09 PM
@bkmeijer - True. I also agree with Deadpool. I actually would have preferred it to be PG13 because the R rating was misused in that film imo it was too much shock humor or shock gore ''hey look how far I can push it''. I wish Deadpool was PG13.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 2/26/2022, 1:28 AM
@Waddles - Deadpool actually shouldn't lend itself more to an R-Rating. His appearances in comics were never like that. So there's no reason that the movies should have to.

It wasn't until the Ryan Reynolds movie came out that the general public finally got introduced to this character, so now they think he's this Hard R character. Which he never was.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 2/25/2022, 5:14 PM
I want Rated X Batsy Watsy
NightBoyWonder
NightBoyWonder - 2/25/2022, 5:18 PM
I guess this is sort of on topic, but what was the point of Batman V Superman Ultimate Cut and the Snyder Cut JL being R Rated? I never saw the need for any superhero movie that’s not something like The Boys or Watchmen being R Rated
ReverseFlasher
ReverseFlasher - 2/25/2022, 5:35 PM
@Waddles - ZS … is that you??
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 2/25/2022, 5:38 PM
@NightBoyWonder -

For marketing.

It’s just like when R rated comedy’s release their “UNRATED” cuts.

It’s supposed to invoke a product that’s unfiltered with prudish restraints.

In my opinion most are lame, not just the Snyder cut.
Neither BVS or JL had any reason to be R.

Directors cuts that come about because studios chopped up their film and messed up plot, is one thing. R cuts and Unrated cuts are usually cash grabs.

Only exception coming to mind might be DD since it seems like it was made to be R to begin with and also because R makes more sense for DD for blood.
ReverseFlasher
ReverseFlasher - 2/25/2022, 8:50 PM
@Waddles - lmao i know , I’ve read enough of your comments to know we have similar feelings abt ZS lol
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 2/26/2022, 1:01 AM
@Waddles -

I seriously don’t think that freshman film majors have a hard on for Christ imagery. I think that’s just a pretentious snyderism
1stDalek
1stDalek - 2/26/2022, 6:00 PM
@NightBoyWonder - Actually, why was the Snyder Cut R rated? The most brutal thing in it that I remember was Steppenwolf getting decapitated, but so did Thanos on a PG-13 rating. Visceral violence against CGI creatures usually gets a pass. Did it have too many f-bombs?
GhostDog
GhostDog - 2/25/2022, 5:33 PM
Very Mild shock
TheSuperMex
TheSuperMex - 2/25/2022, 5:35 PM
While Batman is a darker character, he is a hero at the end of the day. These rates r takes are bad.
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 2/25/2022, 5:38 PM
Don't mind at all. They can always keep the edgier Batman stories for animation.
Spidey91
Spidey91 - 2/25/2022, 5:41 PM
aww man, but I really wanted Robin to say "f*ck" in the sequel :(
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 2/25/2022, 5:48 PM
PG-13, R-Rated. You can do both with Batman imo. It doesn’t have to be over the top R but it can be done.
Forthas
Forthas - 2/25/2022, 9:22 PM
@regularmovieguy - I am not sure R rated films will work for every comic book character. Imagine an R rated Spiderman..the primary demographic he appeals to would not really work with an R Rating. I think Batman is the same. it is only recently that people are wanting an R rating for Batman which in my opinion is making him less distinguishable than the Punisher...which is a mistake.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 2/25/2022, 9:58 PM
@Forthas

No one’s asking for an R-rated Batman. I’m just saying there are certain properties it could work within Gotham with that rating.

You don’t need an R-rated murderous Batman either.
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 2/25/2022, 5:48 PM
Good for Reeves and good for WB
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 2/25/2022, 5:51 PM
But how can I watch a character that's target demographic are teenagers and prove to the internet that I have short and curlies?
Motherlicker
Motherlicker - 2/25/2022, 8:46 PM
@Reeds2Much - the age old dilemma
bobevanz
bobevanz - 2/25/2022, 6:00 PM
Merchandising!
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 2/25/2022, 10:10 PM
@bobevanz - "these movies are about selling [frick]ing toys" - Jon Peters, 1996
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