DC Comic Book fans are very disappointed to learn that Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, is only rated PG, but does it really matter?
Warner Bros officially revealed that the highly anticipated superhero reboot starring Robert Pattinson, The Batman, will be rated PG leading fans to believe it is a kids movie. But history tells us that past Batman movies have been pretty gritty regardless of their classifications.
RELATED: Warner Bros planned for Joker to be in The Batman (2022)
Matt Reeves’ has decided to take The Batman in a whole new direction despite the rise in popularity of R-rated superhero and action films. The caped crusader will be family friendly, so expect a bunch of screaming vaccinated kids in the theatres come March.
According to Matt Reeves himself, the plot of The Batman is prominently emphasised in the film. A nice detective film noir is what viewers can expect instead of larger-than-life action sequences, gratuitous violence, and a slew of profanities.
Matt Reeves and his cast discussed the film during a CinemaCon promotional video. The director of the next Batman film indicated that the film was partially influenced by Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One.
“I felt that we’ve seen lots of origin stories. It seems things go further and further into fantasy, and I thought, well, one place we haven’t been is grounding it in the way that Year One does, to come right in to a young Batman, not being an origin tale, but referring to his origins and shaking him to his core,” Reeves said in the featurette.
“You can have it be very practical, but I also thought it could be the most emotional Batman movie ever made.”
Previously, a PG rating meant the difference between tens of millions of dollars in ticket sales. However, given that films like Deadpool and Todd Phillips’ disturbing R-rated vision for “Joker” were incredibly popular despite prohibiting admittance for anybody under the age of 15, there is no compelling reason for The Batman to be rated PG.
People who don’t like the PG rating for The Batman are been slammed on Twitter for being “virgin incels” and “sweaty fat white guys” for liking comic book movies in the first place.
“A movie based on a comic book made for children is rated PG-13? Paint me surprised! It’s a kids movie, adults that like superhero movies are fat white guys who probably like children too,” one Kpop fan asserted.
“Boo f*cking hoo! You virgin incels cry about everything… a woman, personal of color or a LGBTQIAQ+ person being represented in your favorite media, your video games not meeting your impossible demands, and now a kids superhero movie not having nudity and blood. Pathetic,” another added.
Good. 99% of Batman's appearances are in books rated for teens or children. A PG-13 rating is not only appropriate for the material, it also reduces the chances of edgelord nonsense in the film and surrounding media. https://t.co/y8JWk20J6G
— Excelsior (@ElJeasel) January 12, 2022
Matt Reeves is known for pushing the limits of Motion Picture Associations film ratings, so most people aren’t too concerned that The Batman is PG.
One person pointed out that Christopher Nolan’s Batman Returns was also rated PG and in the film: “a clown is set on fire, Penguin throws a woman off a roof, a live wire was shoved into a man’s mouth and Catwoman was brutally murdered repeatedly.”
The Batman (2022) Australian rating.
It might be important to note that PG-13 is an American MPA rating, it’s close counterpart is the Australian M-rated (mature) classification.
Instead of the Motion Picture Association Rating System, Australia uses the Australian Classification Board. Unlike the USA system, Australian classifications are decided by our government.
What will The Batman be rating here in Australia and does it really matter?
Well, what a PG-13 rating truly means for Matt Reeves’ 2022 The Batman movie in Australia is that it will receive an M-rating.
According to the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, children under the age of 15 should not watch M-rated films or play M-rated computer games. They feature depictions of topics such as violence and themes that necessitate a mature viewpoint. However, because the categorisation rating is an advisory category, children under the age of 15 may lawfully access this material.
The R17-rating is similar to the Australian MA15+ classification in Australia; its content may contain mature themes and is legally restricted to those above the age of 15.
For instance, Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix and Deadpool starring Ryan Reynolds both received an MA15+ classification here in Australia.