Ryan Reynolds’ R-Rated Star Wars Pitch Rejected by Disney: What Could Have Been!

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It’s not surprising that Ryan Reynolds, who brought an R-rating to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his films Deadpool and Wolverine, has tried to build on this success by proposing a similar rated-R movie idea to Disney.

Previously, Reynolds hadn’t been part of the Star Wars series, yet he suggested that the franchise could benefit from a more mature tone. In conversation on the Box Office podcast with Scott Mendelson, he proposed, “Why don’t we create an R-rated Star Wars property? It doesn’t have to be overtly adult-oriented, but it could certainly explore more complex themes.” It’s challenging for many fans to envision Grogu, or Baby Yoda, in an R-rated film.

Reynolds continued, “You have numerous options for characters to choose from.” He wasn’t referring to inappropriate language to be crude. Instead, he used R-rated as a metaphor for intense emotion. It often leaves him puzzled why studios don’t take the risk and opt for something similar. The Wolverine film that Hugh Jackman made before his collaborations with Reynolds on Deadpool and Wolverine was rated R and contained a lot of violence, yet it was highly praised for its mature portrayal of a comic book character, featuring a compelling central relationship between parent and child.

Reynolds made it clear that he doesn’t aspire to act in an R-rated Star Wars movie, instead, he wants to contribute by producing or writing. He explained, “I’m not aiming to be a part of it as an actor, that wouldn’t fit well.” His interest lies more in the production and writing aspects, or being involved behind the scenes. He believes that properties like Star Wars thrive on scarcity and surprise, even though we don’t have scarcity with Star Wars due to Disney+, there’s still room for surprise.

Some Say There’s Already A Mature Star Wars

When asked for a mature Star Wars story, many would suggest “The Mandalorian” as it delicately approached mature themes, though it stopped short of an M-rating. In fact, one episode contained a scene that attempted to depict rape, causing some controversy. Adria Arjona, the actress involved in this scene, later explained that everyone involved recognized the significance of this scene not just for the show, but for Star Wars as a whole, according to an interview after the episode’s airing.

In much the same way as many aspects of “Star Wars” are intended, one might say that they serve as a reflection of our own society. As Tony Gilroy often does, he creates a mirror image, showing that events from our world can have parallels in a distant galaxy far, far away. If an R-rated “Star Wars” film ever comes to be, it would likely be Gilroy whom fans would most eagerly anticipate as the director.

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2025-05-23 23:11