Though it was always unlikely to receive an R-rating, The Batman definitely pushes the boundaries of what a PG-13 usually allows (you can find out why here), and Matt Reeves' reboot ended up being slapped with a 15 rating in The U.K. and Ireland.
This means that nobody under the age of 15 can see the film, which came as quite a surprise to star Robert Pattinson.
The actor was being interviewed alongside costar Zoe Kravitz (Selina Kyle), and when he was told about the movie's harsher rating he didn't hide his shock. "No way. What happened? I didn't even know. Oh, no. It's a disaster," he joked. When Kravitz chimed in, Pattinson explained why a 15 rating is quite a bit stricter than the usual PG-13 (12 in the U.K.).
This probably won't impact audience attendance to any significant degree, but it does make The Batman the first live-action solo film featuring The Dark Knight to be hit with a 15 rating since Tim Burton's Batman Returns.
Have you managed to see The Batman yet? You can check out our review here.
"Two years of stalking the streets as the Batman (Robert Pattinson), striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City. With only a few trusted allies — Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) — amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens."
“When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Paul Dano). As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.”
The Batman is rated PG-13 for “strong violence, disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material.” The movie is set to hit theaters on March 4.