‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ gets R-16 rating from MTRCB

Deadpool & Wolverine. Image from Marvel Studios

Children below 16 years of age may not watch “Deadpool & Wolverine” in cinemas as the highly anticipated film has been rated R-16 by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

In an advisory on Tuesday, the MTRCB asked parents to reconsider bringing their minor children to cinemas to watch the movie.

R-16 restricts viewership to those aged 16 and above, citing the film’s mature content as the reason. The classification was based on several factors, including intense violence, graphic depictions of injuries and gory scenes.

MTRCB Chair and CEO Lala Sotto-Antonio explained that the “R-16 classification advises parents and guardians that these films contain themes, language, violence, nudity, sex, horror, and drug-related scenes unsuitable for children under 16.”

The review committee, composed of Board members Bobby Andrews, Jose Alberto V and Johnny Revilla, said that despite the film’s comedic elements, its graphic nature and frequency may be disturbing to under-16 viewers.

Over the weekend, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in their eponymous roles, earned $211 million in North American theaters, Disney said. The film boasts the sixth-highest opening weekend of all time, surpassing “Jurassic World” which opened to $208.8 million in 2015.

Similarly, the film “All My Friends Are Dead,” starring Jade Pettyjohn and JoJo Siwa, and distributed by Pioneer Film, has also been rated R-16. The review panel, composed of Andrews, Almira Muhlach and JoAnn Bañaga, pointed to compromising sexual content, strong horror elements, including significant sexual references and intense horror scenes, explicit violence and disturbing imagery.

In addition, a local production by Pinoyflix Films and Entertainment Production, Inc., starring Alexa Ocampo, Jeffrey Santos, Rash Flores, Lara Morena, and Simon Ibarra, received the same R-16 rating. The committee of Bañaga, Andrews and Eloisa Matias cited the film’s graphic depictions of violence, blood or injury, often involving weapons or intense physical harm as key reasons for the rating. The film also shows more significant references to drug use, including scenes involving substance abuse or drug-related activities.