The Suicide Squad Has Been Rated R For A Surprising Reason
The Suicide Squad was probably always going to have an R-rating, so no shock there. But the reason for it might actually surprise you.
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The Suicide Squad is looking every bit like a superhero comedic romp through the DC Extended Universe, a welcome pivot from what we saw when this group originally hit the big screen a few years ago. James Gunn looks like he’s pulled out all of the stops when it comes to the group and is prepared to dial-up both the violence and the laughs. Now we know that the flick is going to be R-rated, which isn’t a surprise. But according to Bloody Disgusting, the reason isn’t exactly what you’d expect. Apparently one of the things cited in the rating was “graphic nudity”. Buckle up folks, it’s going to be a bumpy ride here.
Now, before we get all titillated on who is going to bare it all on the big screen in The Suicide Squad, know that the “person” who’s in his/ her proverbial birthday suit might not be a person at all. Instead, Bloody Disgusting is speculating that we actually get some full frontal of one of the non-human members of the group. That would be King Shark, the part man/ part killer fish who’s stolen some of the scenes we’ve seen in the trailer. It looks like we’ll get to know him on a more intimate level in this next movie and there could be some shock value scenes in how he presents himself.
In The Suicide Squad, King Shark will be a CGI-ed character but is cro-magnonly voiced by Sylvester Stallone. It looks like he has zero f@#$s to give if the trailer is any indication and we even get one scene of him casually picking up someone and eating them alive. If this was the stuff that was ok in the green band trailer then rest assured that there is much more leading to the R-rating.
Of course, graphic nudity, which is often code for “male nudity” when it comes to the rating services, aside, it was always assumed this next film was going to carry with it an R-rating. James Gunn and company are looking for a reset on the darker kind of mess that was David Ayers Suicide Squad. That film vacillated between a darker DC-themed conspiracy film that tried, at times, to lean into Margot Robbie’s and Will Smith’s comedic timing. It didn’t totally work. This next one looks like it trends much funnier and much blooded, two things sorely missing from the first.
In addition to Sylvester Stallone coming on as King Shark and Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn, there are more new and old faces among this group. Idris Elba will take over as Bloodsport and John Cena is looking like a scene-stealer as Peacemaker. There are plenty of others who will make first-time appearances in the DC Universe as well. But The Suicide Squad is also bringing back familiar faces like Viola Davis as Amanda Waller and Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg.
Sure, we haven’t seen this R-rated, Shark nudity-infused version of The Suicide Squad, but there’s already good reason to believe it is a massive improvement on the original. The tone looks just right, the writing appears whip-smart and comedic with a devil-may-care attitude among the whole group. And that’s just how it should be for this squad.
