Black Adam won't be one of DC's R-rated films, but don't expect it to affect the anti-hero's brutality.
Producer Hiram Garcia spoke to Collider and confirmed that the movie will be PG-13. "This will be PG-13, but it’s not because we're being forced to be PG-13," Garcia confirmed. "The way we devised the movie, it just wasn't necessary to make it R, and it's something we discussed because we did want to be true to the character. The truth is that we felt we were properly able to represent the edge and power that Black Adam has without needing to go to an R rating. This movie can thrive in a PG-13 space and that’s great for us because we want to introduce Black Adam to as many people as possible."
As Garcia went on to clarify, the rating won't diminish the film or its ability to feature Black Adam doling out his signature brand of justice. "No one ever felt like The Dark Knight was too soft. That was probably one of the hardest PG-13s you've ever seen. That's the way we’ve approached our PG-13, and by no means has that rating limited our kill count!... It’s big and fun but edgy with very real stakes. There are lots of people on screen that won’t make it to the end of the movie because let’s be honest, Black Adam is not the kind of character that throws people in prison. That said, I think the audience will have a blast with this."
Garcia also revealed the film will push technological bounds with Black Adam's superpowers. And tonally, the film will balance the action and superhero elements with substance and consequences.
"The stakes are real in terms of life and death situations, and that was important for us," Garcia said. "We wanted to make sure we had some edge, so I'm not sure what I would compare it to. I like to say we're our own movie, and I haven't really seen a movie like this that matches what we've done. But I think we're able to deliver on a lot of tonal spots. Whether it's fun or whether it’s scares, I think we have a lot in our film."
Black Adam hits theaters July 29, 2022, in all its PG-13 glory.
Source: Collider