Last year, Marvel Studios made history by releasing its first R-rated entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Deadpool & Wolverine. The film was both a critical and commercial triumph, grossing $1.3 billion at the global box office. Now, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed that more R-Rated Movies are officially on the way.
Kevin Feige: R-Rated Movies Will Only Be Used “Where Necessary”
Speaking at a recent roundtable, Kevin Feige opened up about the MCU’s future with mature content. He confirmed that R-rated films will continue, but stressed they won’t become the norm across the board.
“There will be more R-Rated Movies, but only where appropriate and where necessary,” Feige said.
In other words, Marvel will reserve the R rating for projects that genuinely need it — not just to shock audiences or follow trends. Feige also noted that Marvel characters can take on different tones. For example, he mentioned how the Green Goblin builds snowmen in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends but kills Aunt May in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
This flexibility allows darker characters like Deadpool or Punisher to exist within the MCU without compromising the overall brand.
R-Rated Characters Like Punisher Are Expanding Their Reach
Feige officially confirmed that Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will be returning in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. However, fans should expect a tonal adjustment.
“When Punisher is in the Spider-Man movie, it’ll be a different tonality,” Feige explained.
Though the film will likely maintain a PG-13 rating, Punisher’s inclusion marks a new level of crossover between Marvel’s mature properties and its mainstream titles.
So far, Punisher has only appeared in TV-MA-rated shows like The Punisher and Daredevil. He will also return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 and star in an untitled Punisher special, which began filming recently and will stream on Disney+ in 2026.
What Could Be Marvel’s Next R-Rated Movie?
While Feige didn’t reveal the next official R-rated film, reports strongly suggest that Ryan Reynolds is hard at work on a new project. According to rumors from May, Reynolds is writing an X-Men team-up film, styled after X-Force, with Deadpool in a supporting role.
Allegedly, the film will feature:
- Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine
- Josh Brolin’s Cable
- Storm (possibly played again by Halle Berry, though that remains unconfirmed)
Reynolds is reportedly developing this team-up separately from Marvel Studios’ official X-Men reboot, giving him more creative freedom — and possibly a grittier tone.
Meanwhile, Deadpool & Wolverine continues to win fans and is currently streaming on Disney+.
Kevin Feige has made it clear: more R-Rated Movies are coming to the MCU. However, Marvel will choose each project carefully. They won’t use the rating just for shock value. Characters like Punisher are already returning. Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds is planning a new X-Force-style crossover. Marvel seems ready to explore mature content—without losing its core identity.
For long-time fans who crave edgier storytelling, this marks an exciting new phase in the evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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