Why An R-Rated James Bond Could Work In 2022
The James Bond franchise has never earned any of its movies an R-rating as of 2022, but the spy series could pull off this transition thanks to recent developments in both blockbuster cinema at large and the action genre in particular. Despite the James Bond franchise sticking to a fairly rigid formula throughout its multi-decade history in terms of plot, the series has been forced to change its tone and style depending on blockbuster trends over the years. For example, Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as James Bond saw the series take on a lighter, more self-referential tone in large part because action cinema as a genre was more tongue-in-cheek and less dark and brooding during the mid-90s than the late 80s.
The success of tongue-in-cheek actioners like True Lies, as opposed to more mature, gritty hits like Die Hard, Rambo III, and Lethal Weapon resulted in Goldeneye changing 007 into a more self-aware sort of lead than Timothy Dalton’s brooding antihero. Similarly, Live and Let Die’s misguided attempts to cash in on the Blaxploitation craze stemmed from the success of then-recent hits like Superbly and Shaft. Perhaps most famously, the Bourne franchise’s gritty and grounded reinvention of the spy movie sub-genre was responsible for the brutal, dour tone of Daniel Craig’s Bond debut Casino Royale, demonstrating how Britain's signature spy saga is in a constant state of flux.
Related: Spectre’s Blofeld Twist Was Identical To The Worst Scream Movie
With this in mind, it should come as no surprise if the next Bond outing is rated R. Although the franchise has steered clear of the adults-only rating until now, with the possible exception of 1989's License to Kill – the only Bond movie to earn a 15-certificate upon release in the UK
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