Disney CEO Bob Iger Says Disney Will Continue Making R-Rated Marvel Films

Never fear, Deadpool fans: it seems as though your favorite Merc won’t have to wash his Mouth out after Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox is complete. During today’s Q1 2019 earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Iger said Disney will continue to make R-rated Marvel movies.

  • The question of whether Deadpool would be “sanitized” has been on the minds of Marvel fans since Disney’s acquisition of Fox was announced.
  • Demand for films like Deadpool is obviously there, with the first film, which hit theaters in 2016, grossed $783 million worldwide, only to be outdone by the sequel, which earned $785 million.
  • Of course, last December’s release of the PG-13 Once Upon a Deadpool also led fans to assume that Disney was testing the waters for the future — which, to be fair, may have been the case.
  • This news also comes on the heels of a recent rumor that Marvel’s upcoming Black Widow film would garner an R rating, though that is yet to be confirmed.
  • There is certainly plenty for Marvel to draw from when considering future R-rated films, including characters like Blade, Moon Knight, the Punisher and many more.
  • Iger did note that, when releasing such R-rated titles, the company would be careful with branding so that audiences knew what to expect.
  • When previously asked about Disney venturing into R-rated superhero films, Iger seemed to indicate that the company was not interested in producing them. However, that was before the Fox deal came along.
  • Incidentally, the question that brought Iger to this revelation wasn’t even really about Deadpool, but about whether The Walt Disney Company might considering entering the world of sports betting.

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