RESULTS: Would A PG-13 Punisher Movie From Marvel Studios And Disney Work?

RESULTS: Would A PG-13 Punisher Movie From Marvel Studios And Disney Work?

Nearly 1700 of you voted, and you can find out here whether or not you thought The Punisher would work as a PG-13 movie like Iron Man rather than an R-Rated bloodfest like War Zone! The answer may shock you...

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jul 14, 2011 02:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Punisher



Reading about the upcoming comic book relaunch of The Punisher got me thinking. The series by Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto will be gritty, and it will be violent...it will not however be a MAX series and instead will feature a "Parental Guidance" warning on the cover. Now, this is nothing all that new. There have been plenty of Punisher series' in the past, all of which have been of a similar type to this one. None of them feature bad language or overly bloody and gory violence, but they're still loved by fans. So, would a movie just like that work? Does it have to be R-Rated? Could a PG-13 version work on the big screen?

Personally, I think the answer is maybe. With Marvel Studios and Disney now holding the rights to the character, we're bound to see Frank Castle turn up on either the big or small screen sometime in the near future. If it's the former, then I think it's fair to say Disney have little interest in producing an R-Rated Punisher movie. Which is why I'm asking, would it work as a PG-13? Tone down the language and gore, and it really could. A movie in the same vein as Matt Fraction's 'Punisher: Warzone' series might work, but however you look at it, there's no getting away from the violence which surrounds Frank Castle.

Well, those were my thoughts when I posted the poll a few days ago. Looks like there's only a few of us who feel that way though, as you voted by a huge majority that the only way for The Punisher to hit the big screen would be with an R-Rating! Here are the results in full, and be sure to share your thoughts on this in the usual place! (in hindsight, these results probably aren't all that shocking!) :)





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Minato
Minato - 7/14/2011, 2:52 PM
I still think that blood, gore and language doesnt equal good movie. I want the charactors soul and demons to be the central focus. He can kill and be scary without being rated R. Joker did it in TDK.
On the other hand om not opposed to the R rating only if thats not their only focus.
HULK2099
HULK2099 - 7/14/2011, 2:54 PM
Obvious
AvengersAssemble
AvengersAssemble - 7/14/2011, 3:00 PM
No way. R-rated or don't even bother! I think this property would work best in an ongoing series on HBO.
superpooper
superpooper - 7/14/2011, 3:00 PM
Nope. Pg13 won't work. Punisher is an executioner. Pg 13 is for pussies like Tom Jane the Butt Punisher.
AvengersAssemble
AvengersAssemble - 7/14/2011, 3:01 PM
I want the level of violence that the new Rambo had in it!
BigK1337
BigK1337 - 7/14/2011, 3:02 PM
I think the better question is; would any Punisher movie work at all?

Seriously, 3 different movies and none of them are well recieved by the critics and audiences. To me, I think Punisher was better off as a supporting character to other Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil; or at least create a Marvel Knights movie just to showcase all of Marvel's well known vigilantes.
BigK1337
BigK1337 - 7/14/2011, 3:06 PM
@AvengersAssemble and @superpooper

I hate to use this excuse, but The Dark Knight. There, I have never seen a PG-13 movie that has alot of violense in it.
Fogs
Fogs - 7/14/2011, 3:09 PM
[frick] 13 yr kids. Go watch Smallville and GTFO the theaters.
superotherside
superotherside - 7/14/2011, 3:13 PM
I agree with you Josh it would work...
McGribble
McGribble - 7/14/2011, 3:14 PM
The concept of the punished is a very adult theme. Making it for kids would go against what it is meant to be. There is no reason to make this movie if they are going to cut off it's balls... Hard R is the only way to do a true Punisher movie...
Bodwulf
Bodwulf - 7/14/2011, 3:14 PM
They should do a T.V. series of the Punisher! Like the A-team or Magnum P.I. That would definitely Be big! Never show the actual death of his family. Just show him each week avoiding the law as he is hired to avenge wrongful acts of violence that slipped through the system! Because brother when it comes to movies Punisher is on par with Howard the Duck. Not worth a DAMN.
TheStranger
TheStranger - 7/14/2011, 3:16 PM
I went with "it has to be R" but after re-thinking my position, the original Punisher comics didn't require you to be a certain age to buy and they were great, they're what gave the character his boost in popularity, so I have to re-cast my vote, I think PG-13 would work just fine, it does in the comics...
HelaGood
HelaGood - 7/14/2011, 3:18 PM
Don't think it would work. It should be VERY R. Blood, guts, revenge.
Fogs
Fogs - 7/14/2011, 3:22 PM
@Sortis - The problem is that today's audience, studios - actually everyone, now that I think of it - is so pussified that if you show someone being shot and dying it's considered too strong and it's meant to be mature. If there's blood involved you almost need a certificate of sanity to watch.
headlopper
headlopper - 7/14/2011, 3:29 PM
It was a joke of a question in the first place.Here's a better one: Should Disney make an 'R' rated 'Dumbo'?
Gnyah123
Gnyah123 - 7/14/2011, 3:31 PM
just dumb...didn't disney buy marvel? if so then that was a bad move i think ..an OK move but if you are going to make another punisher movie it has to be rated R
if your going to make it with alot of action then def. rated R
CaptainMaximum
CaptainMaximum - 7/14/2011, 3:38 PM
Am I the only one who like the Thomas Jane punisher? best out of them all.
Fogs
Fogs - 7/14/2011, 3:45 PM
@MovieTheaterLad - I agree that in the 70's, 80's and 90's it would be OK. But the problem is that punisher kills people. Lots of them. And he's the lead character. That alone these days require it to be R.
Astro
Astro - 7/14/2011, 3:50 PM
I want a real Born/Year One adaptation. A time period piece about Vietnam and Frank's true transformation into the Punisher I'm all for a gritty T.V. show.
ShadesAtKnight
ShadesAtKnight - 7/14/2011, 4:16 PM
I think you COULD do Punisher in pg13, but I don't think they ever would. You don't need blood and guts to make a good Punisher movie. You need story and character depth. SOmething similar to the tone of Se7en would be awesome. I agree with HailToTheKingBaby, a David Fincher-directed Punisher film would be awesome!
Ghostt
Ghostt - 7/14/2011, 4:38 PM
Punisher was one of my favorite characters growing up. They have completed destroyed him every time on film. The worst part is he was a character practically made to be on film. I can not believe anybody but freaks like me would want to see a 4th Punisher reboot. Give it anohter 10 years folks, please
AC1
AC1 - 7/14/2011, 5:18 PM
I think of all characters, Punisher needs an R-rating. He's defined by the tragedies and traumas of his life, and how they have shaped him into what can only be described as a guy who leads criminals to the slaughterhouse. He's detective, judge, jury, and (most importantly) executioner all rolled up in a black T-shirt with a skull on it.
The way he works, is that he figures out how evil a criminal is, and executes them with a brutality that fits the evil of their crimes.
And that means blood, and lots of it. That's what makes him the Punisher.
DeadzPool
DeadzPool - 7/14/2011, 5:25 PM
the punisher needs a story worth watching whether its R rated or PG-13 rated...the previous ones sucked cuz the story suckd ass, but with a good writer and and a good actor, i see no reason why a PG-13 rated Punisher flick would be out of th question :3
Luigi
Luigi - 7/14/2011, 6:00 PM
HBO/Showtime
scars1011
scars1011 - 7/14/2011, 6:04 PM
The punisher has to be R rated. The best stories I have read are the Punisher max stories. They need to go with a movie along the lines of those first few issues. I mean lets face it he's a killer / mass murderer even if they are evil people its still murder.
scars1011
scars1011 - 7/14/2011, 6:04 PM
The punisher has to be R rated. The best stories I have read are the Punisher max stories. They need to go with a movie along the lines of those first few issues. I mean lets face it he's a killer / mass murderer even if they are evil people its still murder.
SUPERMAN316
SUPERMAN316 - 7/14/2011, 6:12 PM
If they played it smart it could work. As long as they didn't pick a plastic Punisher like in War Zone.
Natetrix79
Natetrix79 - 7/14/2011, 6:14 PM
I like the Thomas Jane Punisher movie, if they would have showed him starting to snap in the war & if John Travolta's role was more like when he was the badguy in face-off then the movie would have been Perfect! There's no way you can show his family get killed without it being Rated-R it's a woman & child being shot & we have to see that. That's what makes you feel for Frank & root for him, otherwise he's just a killer.
whachow
whachow - 7/14/2011, 6:23 PM
This is stupid. "Adult themed" doesn't mean blood and gore. It's like saying the only way to make action movies is with a lot of explosions (*ahem* Michael Bay *cough*). I mean, look at the Nolan/Batman series. Dark and serious, yet not rated "R." Give me a compelling story with a good and dark concept and I'll be happy. If you don't like that, go watch the Saw series and paint a little punisher skull on the dvd box, if it'll make you happy.
Vital
Vital - 7/14/2011, 6:49 PM
I said maybe, cause I'm content either way. But something like Predator/Aliens/Terminator definitely needs to be R. I prefer R ratings cause it usually includes real language people use (a lot of people swear in today's society, so it's weird when they don't in these films lol). But then again, you do need to show the headshot in something like The Punisher, which is heavily focused on violence and revenge. I'd like to see a switch-a-roo, having the Punisher be pg-13 to see if it makes the story better, since that's all they will have to rely on, and a R rated DareDevil film with a lot of realism/hand to hand combat, stealth, and language from the criminals in "Hell's Kitchen".
Vital
Vital - 7/14/2011, 6:51 PM
*since that's what they'll have to rely on.
njferns
njferns - 7/14/2011, 7:08 PM
Firstly the previous films that were made before the Disney takeover all did badly! So why would we wanna see yet ANOTHER Punisher movie in the first place?? And a PG-13 one?!? You gotta be kiddin me!


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MatioShack
MatioShack - 7/14/2011, 8:21 PM
The Punisher Max series, while awesome (and honestly the best representation of the character) wasn't the first time Punisher was in comics. He's been around for awhile and for the vast majority of that there was no nudity, swearing, or overly violent images. I think it COULD work, but that doesn't mean that it's what I, as a fan, want to see.
superpooper
superpooper - 7/14/2011, 11:54 PM
^^ You can't make that determination by comparing it with comic book ratings. When Punisher first came out kids could still afford comic books and made up a much larger percentage of the target demographic then they do now, and as a result the ratings had a much more drastic effect on revenue. In other words, if you wanted to sell a lot of comics you couldn't make them inaccessible to kids under 18. Also, suggested gore and violence in comic books is much more easy to depict then in movies where the special effects have a greater impact and create a bigger reaction. In a movie about violence and death people want to see all the gory details.
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