When it was announced that Marvel Studios was moving forward with a third Deadpool movie, it was generally assumed that the Merc With a Mouth's antics would be toned down to meet the usual PG-13 rating.
After all, it was difficult to imagine the Disney-owned studio giving the go-ahead to an MCU-set project filled with gruesome violence, F-bombs, and whatever other outrageous references/innuendo Wade Wilson's unhinged mind could conjure up.
Director Shawn Levy would later confirm the rumors that the movie would be rated R, and any lingering doubts vanished after the first trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine showcased plenty of blood, bad language, and... pegging (referenced, not shown).
Now, the MPA has given the movie an official R-rating for: "Strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore, and sexual references."
Does this mean we can expect more R-rated MCU movies going forward? If D&W is a success - and early tracking data indicates that it very much will be - we'd say it's inevitable. We've already seen the Disney+ shows begin to get a little more adult-oriented with Echo, and Daredevil: Born Again is also expected to be rated TV-MA.
“Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date - Deadpool & Wolverine," reads the new synopsis. "A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier... reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to - F*ck. Synopses are so f*cking stupid.”
In addition to Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in the title roles, Deadpool and Wolverine will see Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Rob Delaney (Peter), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) And Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio) return as their respective characters, and they'll be joined by franchise newcomers Emma Corrin (The Crown) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), who will play a TV agent and Charles Xavier's evil counterpart, Cassandra Nova.
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool and Wolverine from a script by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells.
The movie is set to open in U.S. & Canadian theaters on July 26, and will be available in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD and premium screens everywhere.