10 MCU Heroes Who Should Get an R-Rated Movie After Deadpool & Wolverine’s Success

Marvel Studios may develop R-rated adventures for several other heroes in the MCU Deadpool & Wolverine became one of the most successful movies of the franchise. Deadpool & Wolverine was a huge risk, as the mature themes of the Deadpool franchise doesn’t exactly fit the MCU’s family-friendly tone. Even so, when he brought Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool into the MCU proper, Marvel Studios gave him free rein to deliver the antihero rights, and it was the best choice for the character and the MCU as a whole.

Just a month after its release, Deadpool & Wolverine became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, and one of the most successful movies in the MCU’s own history. This huge level of success may cause Marvel Studios to give other notable MCU heroes an R-rating, making some unexpected characters more mature, intense and violent. This could benefit the likes of Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man and the Hulk, and could allow the MCU to explore some of ​​Marvel Comics’ darkest and most transformative storylines.

10

Moon Knight is a brutal new MCU antihero

Moon Knight was last seen in Moon Knight (2022)

There are several recent dark and supernatural MCU heroes that would benefit from getting an R-rating in the MCU, and even more on the way, but Marc Spector’s Moon Knight might be the hero that calls out for that mature rating more than any other. Oscar Isaac’s debut as Marc Spector and Steven Grant in 2022 moon night Delivered a huge amount of power and as much brutality as possible without a TV-MA rating. 2024s Echo was the first MCU series to receive the honor, but Moon Knight would benefit from being more mature next.

As an outright anti-hero, Moon Knight constantly mimes and kills his enemies. The moments are in moon nightAlthough most of them are hidden from view – the work of the secret Third Age, Jake Lockley, which the audience did not meet until the end of the series. Mark Spector’s dark relationship with Khonshu, and the evil actions of some of the other Egyptian gods can be explored in much more detail with an R-rating.And some of his darkest Marvel Comics villains, including Bushman, Black Specter and Shadow Knight could take center stage.

9

Nick Fury’s R-rated return could redeem him from Secret Invasion

Nick Fury was last seen in The Marvels (2023)

Nick Fury might seem an unlikely character to get an R-rating, however He’s one of Marvel Comics’ most brutal characters who hasn’t been able to fully come into his own due to the MCU’s family-friendly nature. Samuel L. Jackson has done a fantastic job of portraying Nick Fury over the years since 2008 Iron ManBut he struggled to deliver a strong storyline in 2023’s Secret invasionHis first solo project in the MCU. Perhaps giving the veteran hero an R-rating would allow him to seek some redemption from Secret invasion.

An R-rated Nick Fury-centric project in the MCU’s future might even be the best way to proceed Secret invasion storyline. President Ritson declared war on extraterrestrials in Secret invasion Finale, but this has not yet been explored. Give Nick Fury an R-rating, especially now that he’s still Earthbound The MarvelsCan detail the destructive war against aliens living on earth. Nick Fury deserves the chance to show what he’s really about in the MCU, and an R-rating could let him deliver that in spades.

8

Luke Cage and Iron Fist’s Heroes for Hire would be great with an R-rating

Luke Cage and Danny Rand were last seen in Luke Cage Season 2 (2018) and Iron Fist Season 2 (2018)

The shows in Netflix’s Defenders saga have all been given a TV-MA rating, allowing the likes of Mike Colter’s Luke Cage and Finn Jones’ Danny Rand to fully express their antihero-esque and sometimes violent nature. Although they are not confirmed to return to the MCU alongside Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, it would be great to see Luke Cage and Iron Fist come back and bring their mature themes with them. Iron Fist’s sheer destructive power could be showcased with an R-rating, while Luke Cage could continue to showcase the full range of his strength.

There has been speculation that bringing Luke Cage and Danny Rand back to the MCU could finally introduce Marvel Studios’ Heroes for Hire. The team can take on street-level threats in New York City with little concern for the law. An R-rating for Luke Cage could also see him take on Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, perhaps replacing him as mayor of New York, just as he does in Marvel comics. The Defenders saga ends with Luke Cage as something of a villain, so it would be great to see that story continue to be fleshed out in the MCU’s future.

7

An R-rated Black Widow sequel would be great for Yelena Belova

Yelena Belova was last seen in Hawkeye (2021)

2021s Black Widow Could have benefited from getting an R-rating, because the movie could have really leaned into the spy, espionage, thriller style that Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff always wanted to inhabit. unfortunately, Black Widow Missed the goal by not doing enough, however A possible sequel to Black Widow Can explore the continuation of Yelena Bellows story with an R rating. This could accomplish something that Romanoff’s MCU stories never did, despite her being one of the most skilled assassins on the planet.

Florence Pugh is set to return as Yelena Belova in 2025 thunderbolts*That won’t have an R-rating. After that, her future in the franchise is uncertain. Her skills as a Black Widow assassin should be on display, and an R-rating would be the best way to do that. This can prove her sheer brutality, and highlight the differences between her and her sister, who was perhaps more concerned not to hurt people, to break away from her past. Yelena Belova can certainly carry an R-rated Black Widow Sequel.

6

Vision’s upcoming adventure may be darker than anyone expects

Vision was last seen in WandaVision (2021)

Paul Bettany is confirmed to return to the MCU in the upcoming Vision series, which is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026. Marvel Studios recently hired Star Trek: Picard’s Terry Matalas like these Vision series’ showrunner, and a recent update suggests the series will be much darker than anyone first anticipated. James Spader is confirmed to be reprising his role of Ultron from 2015 Avengers: Age of UltronSuggestive The Vision series will be hard-hitting, philosophical and brutal in its delivery, reuniting Vision and Ultron for the first time in over a decade.

The development means that the Vision series would certainly benefit from getting a TV-MA rating, which would be a huge diversion for Paul Bettany’s MCU hero. A more mature rating may reflect Vision’s transformation in 2021 WandaVisionHowever, as the vision in Westview is revealed to be a fabrication of the Scarlet Witch’s hex, while the real vision is rebuilt by SWORD and his memories are tampered with. A TV-MA rating for Marvel’s upcoming Vision Series would suggest a darker and more violent vision, which could be incredible to see.

5

Doctor Strange’s dark magic makes him perfect for an R-rating

Doctor Strange was last seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

As one of the key figures in the MCU’s multiverse saga, it seems unlikely that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange will receive an R-rating. However, Strange has always walked the line between hero and villain, so it would be great to see this pushed to the extreme with a more mature rating. 2022 S Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Maybe came close to an R-rating itselfWith the inclusion of the villain Scarlet Witch, the death of the members of the Illuminati and the reanimated defender strange, but future adventures can take it further.

Marvel Animation What if…? series has shown the potential of a dark Doctor Strange, so it would be great to see this implemented into Doctor Strange’s live-action story in the MCU. Strange has supposedly caused incursion events, which means the still unconfirmed Doctor Strange 3 Could explore the brutal and traumatic destruction of the entire multiverse, which could be enhanced with an R-rating. Doctor Strange has rarely stuck to the rules, and it would be great to see this idea reflected in the maturity level of his own MCU projects..

4

Thor could leave the MCU in style with a brutal R-rating

Thor was last seen in Thor: Love & Thunder (2022)

There was speculation that a possible Thor 5 Could be Chris Hemsworth’s final MCU project as the Asgardian God of Thunder, and it would be amazing to see him go out with the shock of an R-rating. Marvel Studios Thor The franchise has already contained some of the MCU’s most brutal moments, but it would be fantastic to finally see Thor let loose and fully unleash his power during battle – Perhaps against Zeus and Hercules. Since the comedic tones of Thor: Love and Thunder Unlike this movie, a darker direction might be the best way to go.

Many have called for a change of tone Thor 5Should it really be developed yet Thor: Love and Thunder failed to match the success of its predecessor in 2017. With an R-rating, Thor 5 Can become the darkest Thor Movie still, which would reflect the themes of the original two, Shakespearean-themed Thor projects, and also bring something fresh and new to the table. This would allow Chris Hemsworth’s Thor to be as brutal and aggressive as he sometimes is in Marvel Comics, and could be the perfect, emotional send-off for the God of Thunder.

3

Scarlet Witch’s latest MCU story would be higher with an R-rating

The Scarlet Witch was last seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was the end of the road for Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, at least for now. The Scarlet Witch sacrificed herself after realizing the error of her ways, bringing down Mount Wundagore and destroying every copy of the Darkhold across the multiverse. This came after She went through the realities and pulled off some near-R-rated feats, such as snapping Professor X’s throat, spaghettifying Mister Fantastic, forcing Black Bolt to blow his head off from the inside, and bisecting Captain Carter..

The Scarlet Witch did a lot without an R-rating in Phase 4, but her attacks across the multiverse would have been even more impressive if she had more freedom. Elizabeth Olsen is heavily rumored to return as the Scarlet Witch, potentially even in a solo movieWhich would absolutely benefit from an R-rating. There are still many stories from Marvel Comics that the live-action Scarlet Witch hasn’t explored, so it would be great to see her return as a more brutal and mature MCU character.

2

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man could become a more mature hero

Spider-Man was last seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

As one of the youngest heroes in the MCU, Peter Parker’s Spider-Man seems like the last character who would get an R-rating. However, this may actually be the best way to move on after the emotional end of 2021 Spider-Man: No Way HomeThat left Tom Holland’s Peter Parker as a more mature, hardened and anonymous street hero. He almost killed Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin in an act of sheer revenge, and this will certainly have an impact on his joyful and optimistic temperament.

Notably, Spider-Man teamed up with Wade Wilson’s Deadpool for a very popular series in Marvel Comics. With an R-rated Spider-Man in the MCU, this partnership can be explored in all its hilarious and violent detail. Deadpool & Wolverine Director Sean Levy talked about bringing Deadpool and Spider-Man together in the MCU, and it would only work with an R-rating. The development of Peter Parker into a more mature hero would make room for a younger Spider-Man to debut, perhaps even Miles Morales.

1

Bruce Banner’s return as an R-rated World War Hulk would be incredible

The Hulk was last seen in She-Hulk: Lawyer at Law (2022)

In recent years, there have been concerns that Bruce Banner’s Hulk has been “nerfed” – weakened unnecessarily. The concerns have increased after 2019s Avengers: EndgameAs it was, the Savage version of the Hulk would never be seen again, as Mark Ruffalo’s Green Avenger combined his human and Hulk personas into one personality, Smart Hulk. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Continued this, however A future R-rated movie focused on the Hulk could fix these issues, especially if it explores Marvel Comics World War Hulk Event.

Marvel Studios was heavily rumored to be setting up a World War Hulk Movie for the MCU, despite the distribution rights of the character still reside with Universal Pictures. World War Hulk Giving it an R-rating would allow Bruce Banner to leave again, and could raise the stakes of the projectPut some of the MCU’s most notable heroes in the line of fire. After the massive success of Deadpool & WolverineAnd the Hulk’s own appearance in the movie, Bruce Banner getting a much desired R-rating seems more likely than ever.