After much back and forth in the online rumor mill, it’s now confirmed that Punisher: War Zone has received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America.
According to CHUD, the rating is for “pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use,” which should please fans hoping to see Frank Castle strew Marvel MAX-style carnage across the big screen.
It also may satisfy director Lexi Alexander, who was the subject of another long-running rumor. When Alexander didn’t attend Comic-Con, word circulated that conflict with Lionsgate over the movie’s rating — the studio supposedly had wanted a toned-down PG-13 — had led to her departure from War Zone.
Punisher: War Zone opens on Dec. 5.
The Ticker
• Tom Rothman, co-chairman of 20th Century Fox, says the studio is “thinking very seriously about” about a reboot of 2003’s Daredevil: “… I think that the thing the Hulk showed although, it did what it did, is that it is possible, that if you really do it right the audience will give you a second chance. That it is possible. And I think that you see that when they did Batman Begins, the first Nolan movie, that you can have made some mistakes along the way or movies that the audience wasn’t that crazy about and then given the proper amount of time and the right creative vision behind it, you can, to use your word, reboot.” [IESB]
• Warner Bros. is investing heavily in marketing LEGO Batman: The Videogame, which hit stores last week. TV spots, print ads, McDonald’s Happy Meals, and a toy line are all supporting the game. [Variety]
October 4th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I don’t get this Incredible Hulk analogy the studio peoples are using all the time, Incredible Hulk made exactly as much money as the first one did, but with inflation actually made less. If thenumbers.com is to be trusted it had the same budget too (which was almost equal to the domestic gross of the movie).
October 4th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I think there was an adjustment of expectations, taking into account the baggage of the first movie. The Incredible Hulk may not have made more money, but it was certainly better received.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Exactly, Kevin… Without adjusting for inflation, I think it made a little more than the first one, or perhaps just about the same (as ejulp suggests), if what I read somewhere was accurate. With inflation taken into account, probably a little less. Anyone know how the new one did overseas, compared with Ang Lee’s film?
But yeah… Critics were generally favorable to the new movie, and I think most people who saw the new one liked it better too. I know I did! No, it wasn’t perfect… But what movie is? This is one that I’m actually going to buy on DVD, and I’m looking forward to seeing it again (especially if the extended version that Norton wanted is released). And I’m not even a Hulk fan, really. Aside from the WW Hulk event last year, I don’t own any other Hulk comics. I think TIH will do quite well on DVD and Blu Ray, and that might be what it takes to push the movie into “success” status. It did get lost in the shuffle a bit this summer, but I bet it finds a bigger audience on DVD, TV, etc.
The fact that it got made at all, and still managed to find a bit of an audience after people were turned off by Lee’s movie makes it fairly successful IMO. Hulk’s a tough concept to pull off in live action. At the very least, the character’s been reestablished in the Marvel Studios universe now, and there’s the possibility of using him in future projects.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
About the DD reboot… I’d be all for that! I really don’t want it made at FOX though. I’d prefer Marvel getting the rights back and working him into the Marvel Studios fold. That said, I agree with Rothman (I can’t believe I agree with him on something) that the right director with the right vision could make a great DD movie.
I always thought the wrong half of the Affleck/Damon team starred as DD. From the beginning, I thought Matt Damon would’ve been an excellent Matt Murdock/Daredevil. I still do. The Director’s Cut of the movie that was made is supposed to be pretty decent though, so I should check that out sometime.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Why is the Punisher skull so feint? Looks like their embarrased by it and are trying to minimize its appearence.
Too bad as the skull actually serves a purpose. Giving the bad guys a target to shoot at that is the most reinforced area of his ‘costume.’
October 4th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
@Melrose
I get that, but financially it’s in an even worse place than before (so I’m seeing this as not a positive set for future reboots), though I assume the general public may be more willing to see a direct sequel because word of mouth wasn’t bad.
Also, was the movie any good? I never saw it.
October 4th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Daredevil Reboot! Daredevil REBOOT!! DAREDEVIL REBOOT!!!
October 4th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Getting back to the lead item for a second: It’s the Punisher. You almost tend to expect an “R” rating with this character’s material, regardless of whether you like the MAX branch title or the regular Marvel Universe edition.
October 4th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
The main things wrong with the Daredevil movie were the lack of money it was given for effects, and the interference from Fox with the final edit (the longer version was a significant improvement).
October 4th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Seeing as how Marvel is no longer selling the rights to any of their properties, I would expect companies like Fox and Sony to hold on to the rights as long as they can. And that probably means making movies out of said properties or they lose the rights.
Thus, in the hopes of keeping the rights is Fox even considering making another Daredevil.