Warning: This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Summary
Kevin Feige’s recentBladecomments proveMarvellearned an important lesson fromDeadpool & Wolverine’s success. The MCU’sBladeis still stuck in development purgatory, as it doesn’t have a director and hasn’t started shooting. Indeed, Wesley Snipes' Blade has now appeared in the MCU before Mahershala Ali’s, who was first announced for the role in 2019. However, Feige remains confident about the project, and recently made an exciting confirmation in an interview withBlackTree TV, saying the film would be rated R, since the rating is, “like Deadpool, inherent with the character of Blade.”
Feige’s comments are intriguing as it was uncertain if the MCU would delve into more adult territory afterthe very R-ratedDeadpool & Wolverine.Bladedoesn’t have to be rated R, but it’s good to know thatthe MCU timelinewill get the foul-mouthed, blood-soaked vampire hunter that audiences are used to. This also shows that Marvel learned a valuable lesson afterDeadpool & Wolverine’s success that could lead to more mature Marvel projects in the future.
New Blade Movie: Cast, Release Date & Everything We Know
Marvel’s new Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali is moving forward, and here’s everything we know about the MCU film’s release date, cast, and story.
Blade’s R-Rating Shows Marvel Learned It Can Create Mature Content Without Hurting The Brand
Deadpool & Wolverineis performing incredibly well at the box office. TheDeadpoolsequel crossed $550 million at the worldwide box office, and had a tremendous opening weekend, grossing $211 million domestically. The movie shattered the opening weekend record for an R-rated film, previously held byDeadpoolat $132 million. It’s well on its way to $1 billion worldwide, becoming the first MCU film to reach that milestone sinceSpider-Man: No Way Home.
What this record-breaking opening weekend proves is that R-rated MCU projects do not hurt the brand. Audiences wanted a break from the MCU’s safe tone, andDeadpool & Wolverinewas a breath of fresh air. It doesn’t hurt the brand, since audiences expect more mature content from Deadpool, andit didn’t include familiar Marvel characters who aren’t known for cursing or making sexual jokes. SinceBladehasn’t entered the MCU yet, Marvel can create a different environment for the character, allowing him to exist in his own R-rated bubble.
Is Marvel Working On Any Other R-Rated Projects?
Bladeis currently the only R-rated movie being developed by the MCU, but that could change afterDeadpool & Wolverine’s box officeresults. It would be surprising ifThe Fantastic Four: First StepsorAvengers 5&6took a more mature route, but Marvel is starting to explore darker and grittier projects for Disney+.Echowas TV-MA and featured graphic violence that resembled the Marvel Netflix universe, andDaredevil: Born Againis also expected to go in that direction, with many changes signaling it will be a continuation of the more mature Netflix series.
Born Again’s changes and the confirmed rating ofBladeshow a needed change is happening at Marvel. The studio is starting to experiment more with the stories it tells while also trusting that audiences can handle darker, more adult stories. DC and the Fox universe showed R-rated superhero projects can be successful, and the MCU appears to be beginning to adopt this approach with a number of its own releases too.
