As is the the norm for all Marvel Studios movies, Eternals recently received a PG-13 rating for "fantasy violence and action, some language and brief sexuality" prior to its release in the US and most other locations across the globe, but it seems the latest Phase 4 superhero adventure has been hit with a much stricter cert in Russia.
According to Russian film site Kino Metro, Eternals has been rated 18+, which is the country's equivalent of an R-rating and is applied to any film the ratings board believes should be "prohibited for children." No specific reason was given for the more adult rating, but we can hazard a guess.
Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) is set to be introduced as the MCU's first openly gay main character, and will reportedly share a kiss with his husband in the movie. This might explain the "brief sexuality" mentioned in the MPA's rating, and is most likely the reason for the 18+ cert in Russia.
The country is notoriously wary of any LGBTQ content in movies or TV shows (even the recent Power Rangers reboot was hit with an 18+, for example), and actually implemented a federal law "for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values" back in 2013.
Whether this leads to any scenes being censored or cut remains to be seen, but it's certainly a possibility.
Eternals features an exciting new team of Super Heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows to reunite against mankind's most ancient enemy, The Deviants.
The movie is set to hit theaters on November 4. Do you plan on checking it out opening weekend?
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.