The Batman has received its official MPA rating and it seems things might not be as dark as first expected.
According to the Motion Picture Associations’ latest bulletin, the film will be Rated PG-13 for “strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material.”
Despite many fans hoping the feature would follow in the footsteps of Joker’s R Rating, it isn’t too surprising to see the studio opt for a lighter classification. Warner Bros. will want as many people as possible to see the movie upon release and a PG-13 rating offers a higher commercial ceiling. Especially with the current uncertainty surrounding audiences attending theatres during the pandemic.
Multiple trailers and merchandise releases have teased a much darker take on the character, with director Matt Reeves already discussing influences for the film – including Paul Dano’s Riddler being heavily influenced on the Zodiac Killer. The announcement of the rating will certainly raise questions on how far the director was allowed to take his vision.
Fans concerned with the news can take some comfort in previous entries that followed the same rating. Christopher Nolan’s epic take on The Dark Knight also received a PG-13 rating and proved to be the darkest Batman movie to date.
The Batman stars Robert Pattinson as a younger version of Bruce Wayne and will follow Batman in the early years of his crime-fighting career. Zoe Kravitz will also star as Catwoman in an expected origin story for the character. The film also stars Paul Dano as The Riddler, Colin Farrell as The Penguin, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth.
The film’s synopsis reads:
“When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Paul Dano). As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.”
