'Watchmen' Considered a Failure by Warner Bros; No more R-rated Superhero Films - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 03-22-2009, 09:20 PM

The biggest superhero film last year (and of all time) was a WB film, The Dark Knight, which grossed $1,001,842,429 worldwide and it was rated PG-13. Iron Man, another big hit last year, grossed $582,030,528 worldwide and was rated PG-13. Everybody took their families to these movies, kids bought the shirts and the toys and the masks etc. which means more money for the studio.

On the other hand, Zack Snyder's Watchmen was rated R and I am sure the fact that it was 2 hours and 40 minutes long also had something to do with it, but it bowed at $55 million opening weekend and then sharply dropped off. You can't take your kids to this one, not sure if you'd even be comfortable watching it with your mother. Don't get me wrong, I really liked it and thought it was a fantastic piece of filmmaking, but it's definitely for adults only. And no kids will be asking mommy to buy them shirts or Rorschach masks from this one.

How much of the movie going market - specifically those that go to see superhero/genre films - is cut out by rating a film R versus a PG-13? Warner Bros. thinks too much and is said to be focusing solely on PG-13 rated superhero/tentpole films only, definitely harder than the "family friendly" superhero films of Fantastic Four but not in the R rated range. Think about it, the movie going audience is "huge", now the genre/superhero movie going audience is a portion of that "huge" and the R rated/genre/superhero movie going audience is an even smaller portion of that "huge." It makes a lot of sense to make the movie for the largest audience possible and still respect the property.

Not that it's a superhero film, but it is a genre tentpole, Terminator Salvation, PG-13 or R? WB wants PG-13, director McG wants R just like the originals. McG was outspoken about the ratings debacle at WonderCon 2009 who said he wants the Moon Bloodgood in the rain topless scene kept in the film. WB wants it nixed to comply with the PG-13 guidelines. This was before the R-rated Watchmen premiered but the studio apparently already had the feeling that PG-13 was the way to go to make the big box office bucks with the genre.

So you can bet your ass Green Lantern and Wonder Woman will be PG-13. However, I've been told Jonah Hex, set for August 2010, is still a go for an R rating however WB doesn't consider it a "superhero" movie per se but a rather a comic book adaptation and not one of their tentpole films.

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option...6527&Itemid=99

JamesG · 03-22-2009, 10:23 PM

As far as Watchmen goes, I'm pretty sure the fact that it caters to a niche group of people also had something to do with the lower than expected box office. Other "adult" graphic novel films did pretty well; such as 300, Sin City, and V For Vendetta.

This is the reason why I believe they should do two cuts of a movie like this; theatrical version and a director's cut. They did this for Daredevil and, in my opinion, that version was better.

TJL · 03-22-2009, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesG

As far as Watchmen goes, I'm pretty sure the fact that it caters to a niche group of people also had something to do with the lower than expected box office. Other "adult" graphic novel films did pretty well; such as 300, Sin City, and V For Vendetta.

I agree. While Watchmen has a strong following, it's still not very well known by the casual filmgoers.
I hate the idea that every film has to be made for "the kids." Film makers should be able to cater to adults too.

But since Watchmen didn't make a billion bucks like Dark Knight, i guess we won't see any more R rated stuff.

I bet McG caves and Terminator Salvation is released as PG-13.

JamesG · 03-23-2009, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJL

I agree. While Watchmen has a strong following, it's still not very well known by the casual filmgoers.
I hate the idea that every film has to be made for "the kids." Film makers should be able to cater to adults too.

But since Watchmen didn't make a billion bucks like Dark Knight, i guess we won't see any more R rated stuff.

To expect people to have flocked to it like they did for Dark Knight and Iron Man is nuts. Yes this is a superhero movie, but it is based on something not in the mainstream at all.

There was no way possible that Watchmen would ever see anything that Dark Knight made in the box office. It attracted to a limited audience and had no hype.

TJL · 03-23-2009, 12:40 AM

When it comes to superheroes, the studios want great big summer tentpole movies. They don't want to make anything else.

The Dark Knight has set the bar impossibly high for any future comic book inspired films.

Darn it, my movie only made 300 million dollars! What a bomb!

03-22-2009, 09:20 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	'Watchmen' Considered a Failure by Warner Bros; No more R-rated Superhero Films The biggest superhero film last year (and of all time) was a WB film, The Dark Knight, which grossed $1,001,842,429 worldwide and it was rated PG-13. Iron Man, another big hit last year, grossed $582,030,528 worldwide and was rated PG-13. Everybody took their families to these movies, kids bought the shirts and the toys and the masks etc. which means more money for the studio. On the other hand, Zack Snyder's Watchmen was rated R and I am sure the fact that it was 2 hours and 40 minutes long also had something to do with it, but it bowed at $55 million opening weekend and then sharply dropped off. You can't take your kids to this one, not sure if you'd even be comfortable watching it with your mother. Don't get me wrong, I really liked it and thought it was a fantastic piece of filmmaking, but it's definitely for adults only. And no kids will be asking mommy to buy them shirts or Rorschach masks from this one. How much of the movie going market - specifically those that go to see superhero/genre films - is cut out by rating a film R versus a PG-13? Warner Bros. thinks too much and is said to be focusing solely on PG-13 rated superhero/tentpole films only, definitely harder than the "family friendly" superhero films of Fantastic Four but not in the R rated range. Think about it, the movie going audience is "huge", now the genre/superhero movie going audience is a portion of that "huge" and the R rated/genre/superhero movie going audience is an even smaller portion of that "huge." It makes a lot of sense to make the movie for the largest audience possible and still respect the property. Not that it's a superhero film, but it is a genre tentpole, Terminator Salvation, PG-13 or R? WB wants PG-13, director McG wants R just like the originals. McG was outspoken about the ratings debacle at WonderCon 2009 who said he wants the Moon Bloodgood in the rain topless scene kept in the film. WB wants it nixed to comply with the PG-13 guidelines. This was before the R-rated Watchmen premiered but the studio apparently already had the feeling that PG-13 was the way to go to make the big box office bucks with the genre. So you can bet your ass Green Lantern and Wonder Woman will be PG-13. However, I've been told Jonah Hex, set for August 2010, is still a go for an R rating however WB doesn't consider it a "superhero" movie per se but a rather a comic book adaptation and not one of their tentpole films. http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option...6527&Itemid=99
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03-22-2009, 10:23 PM	#2
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,179	As far as Watchmen goes, I'm pretty sure the fact that it caters to a niche group of people also had something to do with the lower than expected box office. Other "adult" graphic novel films did pretty well; such as 300, Sin City, and V For Vendetta. This is the reason why I believe they should do two cuts of a movie like this; theatrical version and a director's cut. They did this for Daredevil and, in my opinion, that version was better.

03-23-2009, 12:40 AM	#5
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	When it comes to superheroes, the studios want great big summer tentpole movies. They don't want to make anything else. The Dark Knight has set the bar impossibly high for any future comic book inspired films. Darn it, my movie only made 300 million dollars! What a bomb!