‘Batman v Superman’ Secures R Rating for DVD Version

In the wake of Deadpool‘s staggering success, it appears R-rated superhero movies are no longer considered taboo.

An extended, ultimate DVD version of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be rated R for sequences of violence, according to a bulletin released Wednesday by the Classification and Ratings Administration, the ratings board.

The theatrical version of the superhero movie — starring Ban Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman — was rated PG-13 months ago. Dawn of Justice is set to open in cinemas March 25.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule saying Hollywood studios have to resubmit a director’s cut of a film intended for home entertainment to the ratings board, even if additional content bumps it into another category, but most studios do so anyway. However, the extended version is typically just labeled “unrated” rather than specifying an R-rating. 

Warner Bros. and Snyder certainly knew that the additional scenes would mean an R rating. Insiders say the decision to submit the extended version was made before Deadpool opened to a massive $152.2 million over the long Presidents Day weekend earlier this month for Fox and star Ryan Reynolds. Through Wednesday, the pic has grossed north of $500 million globally.

The theatrical version of Batman v Superman runs two hours and 31 minutes. It’s not known how long the R-rated DVD version, titled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition, is, with Warners declining comment.

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