Deadpool & Wolverineis a certified success for the MCU, yet it is the next R-rated Marvel movie that will dictate whether mature superhero movies can become commonplace. With thelist of upcoming Marvel moviesset to revert to PG-13 stories -Bladenotwithstanding - the future of R-rated films in the franchise remains in question. As the first R-rated MCU movie,Deadpool & Wolverine’s box office numbersseemingly solidified mature storytelling as a viable future for the franchise.
By the time ofDeadpool & Wolverine’s ending, it was clear that R-rated films can work if done correctly. The humor, violence, and tone of the film still fit within the MCU and did not feel jarring, contributing to the film’s success and begging the question of what will be the next$1 billion Marvel movie. However, whether this box office success is a direct result ofDeadpool & Wolverine’s R-rating remains to be seen, with the next film of this ilk from Marvel proving to be the ultimate test.
Deadpool & Wolverine Is A Marvel Movie Outlier In Many Ways
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Box Office Success Is A Sum Of Many Factors
Firstly, it is worth exploring the reasons behindDeadpool & Wolverine’s success, and why these reasons may indicate it would have been a hit regardless of its R-rating. For one, the previousDeadpoolmovies have been highly successful as action comedies. The balancing of these two genres has been somewhat perfected by Ryan Reynolds and his team, which translated almost effortlessly to the MCU withDeadpool & Wolverine. Secondly,Deadpool & Wolverinewas responsible for bringing the titular duo to the MCU, leading many to watch the film out of natural intrigue to see how this was handled.
The film’s multiversal nature meant many wanted to see the film to see which heroes would appear…
Another reason behind the movie’s box office performance wasDeadpool & Wolverine’s Marvel cameos. The film’s multiversal nature meant many wanted to see the film to see which heroes would appear, an anticipation that was only bolstered by the online discourse surrounding the film’s surprise appearances after its release.These cameos and callbacks will have drawn people to the theater, as was proven to be the case with Marvel’s three highest-grossing movies sinceAvengers: Endgame, all of which contained multiversal plot points.
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Kraven The Hunter Is A Bigger Test Of Marvel’s R-Rated Movie Potential
Sony’s Next Spider-Man Universe Movie Will Test R-Rated Capabilities
The movie that will test Marvel’s R-rated potential is anupcomingSpider-Manmovie, specifically Sony’sKraven the Hunter.The film will be released in December 2024 as part of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, centering on the titular villain of the Web-Slinger. The reason as to why this movie will test Marvel’s R-rated capabilities is the lack of elements it possesses that will draw in audiences. UnlikeDeadpool & Wolverine,Kraven the Hunteris relying primarily on its stars and its R-rating to succeed at the box office.
While Kraven is a well-known character to Spider-Man fans, general audiences will be unfamiliar with the character. This already is a massive difference betweenKraven the HunterandDeadpool & Wolverine, the latter of which contains the lead of two successful movies before it and the most iconic modern Marvel superhero outside of Spider-Man. Similarly,Kraven the Hunter’s trailers do not indicate the film has the same level of meta, self-referential comedy thatDeadpool & Wolverinehad, nor is it expected to feature massive cameos outside of other obscure Spider-Man villains like Rhino.
Everything We Know About Sony’s Kraven The Hunter Movie
Here’s all the details and information known so far for Sony’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter solo film, featuring one of Spider-Man’s deadliest foes.
Why Marvel’s R-Rated Movie Potential Likely Sits Between The Two Movies
Sony’s Track Record Means Hopes For Kraven Are Low
AlthoughKraven the Hunterwill be an important test for the future of R-rated movies, it is perhaps unfair to compare it toDeadpool & Wolverine. In reality, it is more likely that the potential for R-rated movies will fall somewhere in betweenKraven the HunterandDeadpool & Wolverine’s respective box office totals. The reason for this is the unlikelihood that the former will be a hit, driven primarily by the previous failures of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
30%
57%
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17%
June 10, 2025
TBC
Sony is yet to release a beloved movie in the franchise, andKraven the Hunterwill likely suffer due to this becoming the norm. IfKraven the Hunterperforms poorly at the box office as the last few Sony Spider-Man Universe installments have done, this will likely be because of the overall lack of trust in the studio’s handling of these characters. AlthoughKraven the Hunterwill offer the chance to see how a different kind of R-rated superhero movie is handled, Sony’s track record is working against its success.
The MCU’s upcoming Blade reboot could be a good gauge for whether R-rated movies will work repeatedly.
Conversely,Deadpool & Wolverinemay be an unattainable barometer against which to measure the success of R-rated Marvel movies. For the aforementioned reasons,Deadpool & Wolverinewas always likely to succeed. As such, another R-rated movie that falls somewhere betweenKraven the HunterandDeadpool & Wolverinewill be more likely to dictate whether Marvel’s future can be filled with more R-rated projects.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Cast
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
