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Sly Stallone's The Expendables Could End Up Being PG-13?

by Alex Billington
June 19, 2009
Source: UGO

We've already had at least one big battle this year about a movie's rating (as in, Terminator Salvation). I don't want to start another one, but this is an interesting discussion worth having, especially in relation to a movie I'm excited to see. A few websites were recently on the set of Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables (including AICN) and as part of the visit, they got to talk with producer Avi Lerner. Lerner, who gave UGO these quotes, not only talked about Rambo 5 and that it might eventually happen, but that The Expendables would be testing for both PG-13 and R ratings and the studio would then decide once the reports came in.

When asked if Rambo 5 would be as violent as the most recent Rambo from 2008, Lerner responded with a resounding "no!" He continues: "The story in Burma had to be tackled that way, with extreme and brutal violence so that it portrayed an important aspect of what that story is about. He also told us that they lost at least half the audience for that film with such a hard R, so neither The Expendables nor the Rambo sequel will be as brutal." Lionsgate wants this to be a huge hit and may stick with a PG-13 cut if it tests better (and can bring in a bigger audience). Of course, they'll probably go with the rating that pulls more money.

Based on what we do know - that this is a huge $80 million action movie starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, and Eric Roberts - do you want to see this rated R? Harry Knowles' report from the set includes a lot of mentions about how much practical effects and real explosions are being used and its shaping the way the movie is turning out in the end. With all that, the huge cast, and the story, I can tell you that I definitely do want this to be hard R. What about you?

Filed under Discuss, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Boxoffice Marco

Hell yeah Hard R! The fans will be disappointed if this gets a PG-13.
moviekidmike

HARDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
nelson

is this guy a retard half your audience gone with an r? really last time i checked your audience is the rated r crowd lol
tiredofthismovierhype

Geesh, as much press as you keep giving this flick, wet with anticpation and crap its a guarantee to suck. Half if not all of the actors barely can speak a sentence that we can understand, so whats with the juvenile thirst to see how cool something can look getting blown up for the millionth time? Alex- move on please.
LINKFX

Are you kidding me, if this isn't a Hard R rated film I'm now way less interested. Terminator had it's balls cut off. I loved the ultra-violence of Rambo and I was expecting the same here! Please make this a Hard R rated film. A PG-13 expendables would really piss me off!
Xerxex

Hard R!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on its normal, for a action flick!
Mike

This movie was never going to be a hard R....anyone who read the script(which is good BTW) could tell you it borders on PG-13 to Soft R.... 80s action flicks were never THAT gory...and neither does the Expendables need to be..this aint SAW torture porn...
Darunia

Should be rated R. Wanted, Bad Boys 2, etc all had budgets equal or superior to The Expendables.
Last Son

I wished I was back in the 1980's where the issue for an 'R' Rating never even got mentioned. Movies where either 'R' or PG-13. There was talk about a movie that had to be cut to make it Pg-13. The studios of today suck. The only Pg-13 movies stallone has ever made where the Rocky films and that last Rocky film was terrible. Stallone keep it 'R'. The last Rambo movie was awesome.
http://alexmasterson.wordpress.com/ Digital Metaphor

I'm with Mike; back in the 80s it was all solid punches and 'splodes, not blood and dismemberment. Awesome as it was to see Sly turn men into minnestrone with that .50 cal in Rambo IV, the Expendables is a more cheesy action romp, so it doesn't need the R Rating.
http://coolduderesource.blogspot.com/ WaFFLe

PG-13?!?!?!That has got to be the greatest joke of the century,if not for the fact that ITS NOT FUNNY!ANY action film stallone is in which gets a PG-13 rating is!!IS!!!IS!!!!AHH WHAT THE FUCK!!!It's too painful to go on...
Al

needs to be R, or else what the point
Andrea

Wow, this is really old news. I remember Sly talking about it possibly being PG-13 last year.
Caleb

hell yes I want it to be R. the new Rambo was fucking awesome
Frank Stallone

Hard R all the Fucking WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Godamn motherfucking cunts in Hollywood trying to cut the fucking balls off of will be a great action movie!!!! I want this to be RAMBO X 10!!!!! In conclusion: FUCK OFF HOLLYWOOD, YOU LIMPDICK COCKSUCKING FUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sancho Stallone

This movie needs fuckin cohones !!!
w00t!!!

They'll lose half their audience if it's PG13. Be boring as you know they'd cut out the good stuff. I wouldn't be for language. People love Rambo because it was insane!!!
alexander bender

hasn't anyone learned bringing down the rating hurts the movie and box office look at terminator salvation.
GM

who the fuck cares that some kiddies didn't watch Rambo man !! I'm sure they still baught the Dvd later...
Mad Max

Hello. Hard R all the way, baby.
Syphous

HARD R!!!!!!! And also, for fuck sakes, Rambo 5 not as violent? That's the only reason Rambo 4 was any good! Lost half the audience? Nooo... it's actually because 90% of the population hates Rambo. With good reason really. I personally love Rambo, but I understand he's cheesy and that's Sly's fault, not the violence. The violence gets people in the seats!!
http://vimeo.com/user1764245 Nick Sears

It's got action heros from 3 generations - why wouldn't we want to push limits?!
lincolnsmithtbp@gmail.com

EXCUSE ME you PG-13 lovers, do you remember Commando or Predator? Those were definitely hard R rated films, and they were fantastic!
Ray

MUTHA FUCKEN R BABY!
Tim

to me, no other movie matters til the expendables comes out! unless it's rated pg-13, then it will probably smell like fart. please rated R!! please! don't let the ultimate action movie get turned into a pile of feces
Cody

Seriously R wtf is with the pussyness guys blowing dust out of them when they get shot this needs to be even more gruesome than the latest Rambo. I WANT BLOOD DAMNIT BLOOD.....R!!!!!
http://www.ledscreenchina.com led panel

if it tests better and can bring in a bigger audience.
Morgan Messersmith

These douche bags are ruining everything. I'm looking forward to the same insane, crazy, mind numbing violence of Rambo. Just on an epic scale this time because all of who is involved. Maybe if they do a better job maketing this one, it'll do better. When Rambo came out in theaters, it wasn't playing at the one where I live. Same thing happened with Punisher: War Zone. Driving an hour and a half to see a movie is a pain in the ass. The next thing you know, Lionsgate will start pushing for a PG-13 Saw movie. PG-13 is bullshit. It took away from Live Free Or Die Hard. It was like John McClain lite.
Fisherr

Hard R indeed is what everybody needs.
John J

I'm sick and tired of studios pandering to a young audience. You telling me that a 80 million dollar film won't make back it's budget if it's a R rating. BULLSHIT!!! Sorry folks but the studios no longer make films for adults. We might as well re-name the lot of 'em Disney!
JoJo

Once again the nerds of various movie blogging sites are acting like dipshits. What do you get from R rated movies?
Ken Masters

Just because they have all those big name action movie stars it should warrant an R rating. TDK was PG-13 and it was spectacular. If you want a Hard R, rub your dick a couple of times and write an R on it with a red pen then watch it when it comes on DVD/Blu-Ray. There's your HARD R.
Sylvester Stallone

Hey Guys, Just a head's up - this movie IS going to be a HARD R - case closed. Alex, quote me on this ciao baby!
***

It should be Hard R. otherwise it will be for kiddie stuff!
S

I would propose that they simply make the movie by the script as it is intended without concerning themselves with a specific rating. Whether it gets rated PG-13 or R in the end, just let it be. Obviously, though, if it came back as NC-17 they'd have to cut it to R.
Drunkimus

van damme why why is not in the movie!!!!!!!!!!
RangerRick

Last Rambo was the BEST Rambo. Haven't seen such true to life example of bullets to flesh since Saving Private Ryan. As such, if they tone the next movie down, I think I'll watch some Disney films in protest.
KongFuGorilla

Are kids need R rated gore and violence movies to sneak into. do if for the children.
http://meowornever.com Vassal

See, this is marketing cunning, because after the PG version is realeased, they can relaease the SPECIAL EDITION DIRECTOR'S UNRATED CUT and charge twice as much. In the gold foil deluxe gift set, with extras like deleted scenes that were just too crappy to make the original, some sweepings from the editing room floor and the entire crew down to the grips and best boys commenting over the movie.
caroluz

ah crap.. another financial issues..
snickers

This is bullshit. If he reckons they "lost at least half the audience" with Rambo (which is, what, the under-10s? going to watch a Rambo movie?), then it would have definitely made up for it on home video where the real long-term money is made. Word of mouth about the hardcore action in Rambo is what fans still talk about. PG-13 is for pussies.
Teasle

First of all, it doesnt matter what the expendables is rated: your still going to see it. Second, stallone is the greatest action star ever. Who else writes,directs, and stars in some of the best true action movies of all time. The movie will be great: rambo 5 is pushing it. Either r or pg13 go sly go
andrew hills

honestly rambo 4 had to be violent because it told the story of what happens to a veteran when his country doesn't need him any more. the expendables tells the story of some type of war or conflict, and as any one will tell ya, war is hell!!!!!!
Michael

A war movie that not R, i dont think so. I'd hate to see all that talent wasted just cause they wanted to soften the ratings up
Chalres

Do not make this movie pg-13. the cast in this film is a ocnce in a lifetime. hard r.... show us what they can do without limits
R Rated movie goer

OMFG Make this movie R! I will NOT see it if its pussy PG-13