Will the Fifty Shades of Grey movie be Rated R or Rated Pg-13? Yes, the studio has said they want to stay faithful to the books. The director has said the film will contain the essence of the story. But what does an R-rating truly mean to box office returns?
As we’ve seen from films like The Matrix, The Terminator, and even recent comedies, an R-rating is not the kiss of death. BUT – and this is a big but – when the films are based on a romantic, sex-driven narrative that appeals primarily to older women, it might mean differently. Or does it?
The Matrix and Terminator films appealed primarily to young men, but the films managed to reach four quadrant appeal to become a global phenomenon. Fifty Shades of Grey, for better or worse, is already a global phenomenon and doesn’t need the buzz – it already has it. So if they keep the films rated R, they know that the core fan base is still going to come see the movies. But what about everybody else?
The good thing for the studio and filmmakers is that this isn’t even remotely close to the Terminator or the Matrix in terms of budget. The story takes place in bedrooms and office rooms and red rooms and several other rooms – often with the two main characters talking, fighting, or having sex. That doesn’t require a big budget. In fact, the highest costs are probably salaries for the cast and director, not much else.
So with that in mind, they can afford to make it an R-rating. But will they? Sources claim that several studio executives have already tried to appeal to the filmmakers to get a reduced PG-13 rating so they can grab the tween and teen female audience, the one that so successfully launched Twilight into a blockbuster franchise. However, because the author [E. L. James] is so involved in the films, I’m hearing she’s not biting – either the films are rated R or they’re not made at all.
What do you guys think? Should the films be Rated R or PG-13? Let us know in the comments.