‘Black Widow’ could be first R-rated Marvel film — report

Another female-led movie is in store for Marvel, but could it be a first in another way?

Writer Charles Murphy from comedy and music podcast The Hashtag Show revealed in a tweet today, Jan. 13 that he had once heard Marvel Studios mulling to make “Black Widow” an R-rated film.

Image: Marvel via AFP Relaxnews

He added that it could go for other Marvel films as well. “I’m not saying it will be for sure (no way to know what they will settle on at this point), but they have recently said that R-rated MCU films ARE a possibility, so it is a possibility.”

Here's something I don't think I've ever talked about. When I first heard they were developing the Black Widow film, I also heard they were discussing whether or not to make it Marvel Studios first R-rated film.

— Charles Murphy (@_CharlesMurphy) January 12, 2019

He said the R-rating will apply to violence and mature themes.

Talks of R-rated movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came about when Disney announced that it would acquire a large portion of 21st Century Fox, as per a December 2017 Collider report. Fox has made mature movies with Marvel characters that have raked in box office success and critical praise, such as “Deadpool” and “Logan”.

Details about the Black Widow standalone are still under wraps. Scarlett Johansson will star in the title role and it has been officially confirmed that a female director, Cate Shortland, will helm the project.

The Hashtag Show reported in October 2018 that filming will be done partly in Croatia and that a synopsis bares the movie will be a prequel. It will follow Natasha Romanova working as a spy for the KGB and living in the United States, 15 years after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Murphy said filming is expected to begin around March this year. The film is set to be released in 2020. Niña V. Guno/JB

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