The editor of Black Adam reveals why Dwayne Johnson is the reason the film did not receive an R rating. Johnson is an athlete turned movie star known primarily for his roles in blockbuster action films such as San Andreas, Skyscraper, and Hercules. The actor rose to stardom in his role as Luke Hobbs in the massively popular Fast & Furious series where he became one of the highest-paid actors in the industry. Johnson is also known for his family-friendly appeal leading films such as Disney’s Moana and Jungle Cruise as well as DC League of Super-Pets.
Johnson stars in Black Adam, a superhero movie based on the DC Comics of the same name that finally made its debut in October. The movie is a spin-off from Shazam! and is the eleventh overall film in the DC extended cinematic universe. An archeologist in search of the Crown of Sebbac, a powerful artifact created by the tyrannical King Ahk-Ton, releases Teth-Adam from his centuries-long slumber believing him to be the fated hero of legend. She soon discovers Teth-Adam has destructive powers and the Justice Society of America is called to deal with the emerging threat. However, Teth-Adam must join forces with the JSA when the last living descendant of King Ahk-Ton uses the Crown of Sebbac to unleash demonic evils upon the city of Kahndaq.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, editor Michael L. Sale shares the reason why Black Adam did not receive an R rating. Sale reveals that while the movie had plenty of opportunities for darker sequences and more intense violence, there was pressure from producers to pull back. Due to Johnson’s wide appeal and his family-friendly audiences, Sale was encouraged to set the tone for the Black Adam franchise to ensure the first in the series was a box office success. Read Sale’s full quote below:
“What I was getting from the producers was that we wanted to ensure [it wasn’t too heavy]. It would’ve been easy to make an R-rated version of Black Adam, right? Personally, I would’ve loved it. I would’ve been like, “Oh, let him punch his hand through people. Go nuts,” right? I’m an old dude, and I’m a horror guy. I like all kinds of stuff. I would’ve been happy.
“There was a thing coming from the director and the producers that, “Hey, we want to make this movie for everybody. Dwayne’s got a huge fan base, and he has a family fan base.” For us, it wasn’t about keeping with any tone of DC, past or present. It was about establishing our tone and our brand and the Black Adam brand. Our tone is like, “Hey, we’re going to be edgy. But it’s also a movie you can take your kids with dad and mom, and you can watch. And it’s not going to be so horrifying that you feel bad,” right?
“I think the proof is in the pudding because this week, you saw families go and enjoy Black Adam in large numbers. I was really happy that we went in that direction. I think that’s what these movies are for. I think what it does is open up a whole path where DC has options now to do a lot of different things.”
Would Black Adam Be As Successful With An R Rating?
Black Adam quickly became a box office hit, earning $67 million during opening weekend, an all-time carrier high for Johnson. As Sale acknowledges, the success is in large part to families who showed up during the movie’s premiere weekend. Films that receive R ratings are less likely to be attended by families who may have to leave younger children at home. Additionally, an R rating would prevent the film’s primary demographic, teenagers, from attending theaters. For these reasons, R-rated films rarely break box office records or have as large of a reach as more traditional, family-friendly superhero movies.
Johnson’s stardom hinges upon his clean reputation and marketability, which shaped the overall tone of Black Adam. While some fans may be disappointed by this change in tone overall, the massive success of the movie affirms that it was the right decision. Johnson’s mass appeal has reinvigorated the DC extended universe with some much-needed audience enthusiasm.
