Brian Damage
06-20-2009, 02:04 PM
http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/06/19/sly-stallones-the-expendables-could-end-up-being-pg-13/
We've already had at least one big battle this year about a movie's rating (as in, Terminator Salvation). I don't want to start another one, but this is an interesting discussion worth having, especially in relation to a movie I'm excited to see. A few websites were recently on the set of Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables (including AICN) and as part of the visit, they got to talk with producer Avi Lerner. Lerner, who gave UGO these quotes, not only talked about Rambo 5 and that it might eventually happen, but that The Expendables would be testing for both PG-13 and R ratings and the studio would then decide once the reports came in.
When asked if Rambo 5 would be as violent as the most recent Rambo from 2008, Lerner responded with a resounding "no!" He continues: "The story in Burma had to be tackled that way, with extreme and brutal violence so that it portrayed an important aspect of what that story is about. He also told us that they lost at least half the audience for that film with such a hard R, so neither The Expendables nor the Rambo sequel will be as brutal." Lionsgate wants this to be a huge hit and may stick with a PG-13 cut if it tests better (and can bring in a bigger audience). Of course, they'll probably go with the rating that pulls more money.
Based on what we do know - that this is a huge $80 million action movie starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, and Eric Roberts - do you want to see this rated R? Harry Knowles' report from the set includes a lot of mentions about how much practical effects and real explosions are being used and its shaping the way the movie is turning out in the end. With all that, the huge cast, and the story, I can tell you that I definitely do want this to be hard R.
We've already had at least one big battle this year about a movie's rating (as in, Terminator Salvation). I don't want to start another one, but this is an interesting discussion worth having, especially in relation to a movie I'm excited to see. A few websites were recently on the set of Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables (including AICN) and as part of the visit, they got to talk with producer Avi Lerner. Lerner, who gave UGO these quotes, not only talked about Rambo 5 and that it might eventually happen, but that The Expendables would be testing for both PG-13 and R ratings and the studio would then decide once the reports came in.
When asked if Rambo 5 would be as violent as the most recent Rambo from 2008, Lerner responded with a resounding "no!" He continues: "The story in Burma had to be tackled that way, with extreme and brutal violence so that it portrayed an important aspect of what that story is about. He also told us that they lost at least half the audience for that film with such a hard R, so neither The Expendables nor the Rambo sequel will be as brutal." Lionsgate wants this to be a huge hit and may stick with a PG-13 cut if it tests better (and can bring in a bigger audience). Of course, they'll probably go with the rating that pulls more money.
Based on what we do know - that this is a huge $80 million action movie starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, and Eric Roberts - do you want to see this rated R? Harry Knowles' report from the set includes a lot of mentions about how much practical effects and real explosions are being used and its shaping the way the movie is turning out in the end. With all that, the huge cast, and the story, I can tell you that I definitely do want this to be hard R.