Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker movie gets an official R rating

In a franchise first for DC Comics, the upcoming Joker movie has been given an R rating by the MPAA — making it the only R-rated movie based on a DC character. 

We were excited for Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker already, but the most recent piece of news about the movie has us more hyped than ever. According to recent reports, the film has received an R rating for graphic violence and sexual imagery. Though fans may have seen this coming given the deliciously eerie trailer, the film’s rating is a first for DC comics.

Past superhero films to receive R ratings include Hellboy, Punisher, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, the Blade trilogy, and, of course, both Deadpool movies. If you notice a certain group missing from that list, it’s because there has never been a DC comics-based movie to receive an R rating — the closet the studio has ever come is arguably Suicide Squad.

However, it’s not just the R rating that has us excited for Joker. As previously mentioned, the first trailer is one of our favorites of the year and promises less of an action-packed blockbuster and more of a terrifying psychological thriller.

Watch the teaser for the film here:

Another big aspect the movie has going for it is its lead. While he admitted in a recent interview that he had some initial reservations about playing the Joker, we don’t think anyone else could pull off this version of the character quite like Joaquin Phoenix. Given his prestigious career as a character actor, the fact that the film landed such a big star is very impressive and speaks to how good the script must be.

Over the years, the Joker has appeared in dozens of movies, and TV shows, played by a multitude of names including Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, Cameron Monaghan, Jared Leto, Zach Galifinakis, Michael Emerson, and the legendary Heath Ledger. Even though it seems pretty difficult to think of a way to pull off the Joker that hasn’t been done before, it appears that Joaquin Phoenix and Warner Bros. might just do the impossible when Joker hits theatres this October.

Are you excited that Joker is rated R? What’s your favorite R-rated superhero movie? Sound off in the comments below