With Disney about to complete a major asset purchase from Fox to gain rights for characters such as the X-Men and (possibly) the
Fantastic Four, Marvel Studios will finally be able to use the titular characters in the MCU. However, this means that Fox's successful trend of making R-rated superhero films will most likely come to an end.
The trend started in 2016 with Tim Miller's
Deadpool, which was praised by fans and critics alike because of its surprise take on the superhero genre with the explicit, vulgar comedy and visceral violence. Fox's second R-rated superhero movie was released in 2017, with James Mangold's brutal
Logan, which was even more praised.
Disney Marvel Studios' is known for making family-friendly superhero flicks, so, the production of awesome R-rated Marvel movies likely won't continue with Disney.
James Mangold comments on the Disney-Fox deal:
"If they’re actually changing their mandate, if what they’re supposed to do alters, that would be sad to me because it just means less movies. I just hope what we end up with is going to be a positive in terms of movies. The real thing that happens when you make a movie rated R, behind the scenes, is that the studio has to adjust to the reality that there will be no Happy Meals. There will be no action figures. The entire merchandising, cross-pollinating side of selling the movie to children is dead before you even start. And when that’s dead, it means you’re making a grown-up movie."
This raises concerns for the upcoming Deadpool 2, which fans are expecting to use the same R-rated material as its predecessor, but that doesn't correspond well to Disney's style.
What are your thoughts on the situation? Let us know in the comments.