The recent trend in movies has been that films rated G, PG, or PG-13 outsell the edgier R-rated offerings, but a new movie released in May might change that, industry analysts suggest.
The Matrix Reloaded, the R-rated sequel to the 1999 surprise blockbuster, The Matrix, captured a breathtaking $135.8 million in its first five days. The third movie in the trilogy, The Matrix Revolution, is due out in theaters this fall.
A spokesman for Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the Matrix trilogy, was ecstatic over the big box office opening. “When you consider that this was an R-rated film that made in four days what the original made in five weeks, we couldn't be happier,” said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for the company.
Last year, not a single R-rated movie broke into the top 20 at the domestic box office. While that is unusual, the trend has been headed in that direction.
In 1992, 14 of the top 20 were rated R, according to Entertainment Weekly, which added that over the last 10 years the number of R-rated films released by studios had dropped by nearly 50%.
“Year after year the box office results tell an important story about movies and the ratings. Most family friendly films sell big. Most R-rated features do not,” said John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners.
That was the conventional wisdom through March, when Fithian was addressing the theater industry's big trade show, ShoWest. A little more than two months later, The Matrix Reloaded unloaded both barrels into that trend. Now, with at least another five R-rated films expected to rake in the big money — including sequels to The Terminator, Bad Boys and The Exorcist — the atmosphere in theaters may be shifting to a nastier, more lewd and more violent tone.
“People are being as aggressive about R-rated movies as they've been in years,” Revolution Studios' Rob Moore told Entertainment Weekly. Referring to the upcoming batch of R-rated films, he added, “I would definitely not say that the R-rated movie is dead.” [See Related Article]
Part of the reason for the dearth of edgier flicks has been public pressure on movie studios to avoid marketing R-rated movies to minors, who as a demographic group are the biggest ticket purchasers. (See chart at right.)
“With an R-rated movie, you've got 20-30% of your potential audience unable to get in without a parent,” said Chris McGurk, chief operating officer for MGM Studios. “When you're spending $100 million or more [to make and distribute a movie], you can't afford the risk [of an R-rating].”
Movies like The Matrix Reloaded or T3: Rise of the Machines, however, are expected to be popular with the underage crowd. In fact, T3 producer Hal Lieberman seems to expect young people to be part of the movie's audience when that film hits theaters this summer.
“The first two Terminator movies were rated R, so fans are expecting this one to be too. It gives the movie a certain integrity,” he said. “Kids don't want to feel that what they're getting has been watered down in any way.”
If this summer proves to be the year of the R-rated comeback, watered-down films probably won't be a problem.
(This article courtesy of Agape Press).
