Summary
Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni comments on the possibility of an R-ratedStar Warsmovie. After George Lucas first brought the beloved franchise to life back in 1977, numerous other filmmakers have put their own stamp on the IP. There have now been 11 live-actionStar Warsfilmsand multiple animated and live-action shows, and, while they all have their differences, the one thing about the franchise that remains consistent with each one is that they don’t feature an MPA rating any higher than PG-13.
During a recent interview withJosh Horowitzon theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, Filoni is directly asked about whether an R-ratedStar Warsmovie could be on the cards.
While the Lucasfilm CCO notably avoids giving a direct answer one way or another,he does generally seem open to the idea of filmmakers bringing their own sensibilities toStar Wars, and this could seemingly entail an R-rating. Check out Filoni’s comment below:
“I think that it encompasses all types of styles, and the creatives of these particular stories driving it is kind of the most important thing, and they should do something that’s within their comfort zone. Otherwise, just imagine that everyone’s gonna come and pretend that they’re George Lucas, and they’re not.
“I learned from George Lucas - I’m certainly not the same as George Lucas when it comes from making movies, George is a one-of-a-kind, generational talent…. And that’s OK because there are principles about choices, and being a good person, and getting over your fears, and those are timeless no matter what style you’re talking about.”
Fans Have Been Pushing For An R-Rated Star Wars Story For Years
Some Filmmakers Have Also Been Interested In Pushing Star Wars Beyond PG-13
Star Warshasn’t yet explored the realm of the R rating, but some projects have been distinctly more gritty and more mature than others, leading to calls for a standalone entry that eschews the franchise’s traditional PG-13 rating. 2016’sRogue One: A Star Wars Story, for example, features a standout scene when Darth Vader massacres Rebels in a hallway. This scene, combined withRogue Onefeeling generally more gritty and militaristic, has certainly made the possibility of anR-ratedStar Warsan interesting proposition.
It’s also been widely reported thatsome filmmakers have been interested in making R-rated movies in theStar Warsuniverse, further increasing calls for the franchise to make this jump. James Mangold, for example, who is now at work on theannouncedStar Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, previously revealed that he was once working on an R-ratedBoba Fettmovie that was later canceled. Zack Snyder, too, has been vocal about how hisRebel Moonmovies began life as an R-ratedStar Warspitch.
Star Wars: Dawn of the Jediwas announced in April 2023, but few updates on the project have arrived since. The Mangold movie doesn’t yet have a release date.
While an R-rated film in the Skywalker Saga was never a real possibility, the expansion of theStar Warsuniverse with shows likeThe MandalorianandAndorcreates an opportunity for more adult-oriented storytelling. The glowingAndorreviewssuggestthere’s an appetite for more mature storytelling in the hit Lucasfilm franchise, and an R-rating might be an interesting area to explore next with something standalone and smaller in scale. It doesn’t seem likeStar Warsis ready to branch beyond the PG-13 rating just yet, but Filoni’s latest comment suggests something R-rated certainly isn’t off the table.
Source:Josh Horowitz
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
