It's Official - The Animated Film Adaptation of The Killing Joke is Rated R

[Lizzy Finnegan]

It's Official - The Animated Film Adaptation of The Killing Joke is Rated R

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The iconic graphic novel has officially been rated R.

gave permission at New York Comic-Con [http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/14/batman-killing-joke-animated-rated-r] for The Killing Joke to receive an R rating... but until now, it wasn't clear whether or not that would actually happen.

"From the start of production, we encouraged producer Bruce Timm and our team at Warner Bros. Animation to remain faithful to the original story - regardless of the eventual MPAA rating," said Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation & Warner Digital Series. "The Killing Joke is revered by the fans, particularly for its blunt, often-shocking adult themes and situations. We felt it was our responsibility to present our core audience - the comics-loving community - with an animated film that authentically represented the tale they know all too well."

Although more will be added to the story [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/165835-The-Killing-Joke-Animated-Film-Will-Expand-on-the-Original-Story] in order to have enough content for a full-length film - including a 15 minute prologue - Executive Producer Bruce Timm stated that the adaptation would stay "very faithful" to the source material, saying: "Killing Joke is a really tricky property because it's really bleak, but we made a decision early on that if we're gonna do it, then we kinda have to just jump in and just do it."

Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill star in the film [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/166841-Kevin-Conroy-and-Mark-Hamill-Will-Star-in-The-Killing-Joke], which is set to premiere at San Diego Comic-Con.


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[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Yeah, I am totally OK with this. Might it have been partially because of Deadpool? Maybe, but if TKJ ended up being PG-13, there would be almost no chance for it to be faithful to the original. Besides, it sounds like the people involved know what they are doing, so all that remains is for them to do what they do best.

 

[Mahorfeus]

Given the standards that ratings seem to go by these days, I am going to guess that it was the graphic nudity that pushed it up to an R-rating.

 

[Saltyk]

Yeah, if there is a story that probably needs to be R rated, it is probably The Killing Joke.

Also, Bruce Timm is on board? Always a good sign for the quality of the work. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as well? Even better!

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

I'm surprised more of the DC Animated movies aren't R rated. Quite a number of them (The Dark Knight Returns and The Flashpoint Paradox come to mind) have 15 ratings here in the UK, the same rating as Deadpool. They're already fairly bloody and bleak. No nudity though, I guess, which may have been what pushed this one up?

Good to know that they won't be softening the story, though. Let's just hope it's good.

 

[Naldan]

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

Yeah, he's retired like 3 times now. Kinda' like Schwarzenegger or Phil Fish. If there's a big enough paycheck, oh hey! I guess they can stomach it one more time.

 

[Saulkar]

I wonder if it is a hard 1980s R or a soft 1990s R.

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

If I am not mistaken, he was simply done with the videogame adaptations of the Joker and it was taken out of context.

 

[shintakie10]

I'm surprised more of the DC Animated movies aren't R rated. Quite a number of them (The Dark Knight Returns and The Flashpoint Paradox come to mind) have 15 ratings here in the UK, the same rating as Deadpool. They're already fairly bloody and bleak. No nudity though, I guess, which may have been what pushed this one up?

Good to know that they won't be softening the story, though. Let's just hope it's good.

I've thought this myself. Flashpoint Paradox is violent as fuck and its not afraid to show how incredibly violent it is. The closest it gets to shying away from the violence is not directly showing the Shazam kids being violently slaughtered, but you still hear it.

What the hell could The Killing Joke have done to get that R rating that earlier DC movies haven't?



Its a boob isn't it.

 

[Link XL1]

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

Yeah, he's retired like 3 times now. Kinda' like Schwarzenegger or Phil Fish. If there's a big enough paycheck, oh hey! I guess they can stomach it one more time.

I wonder if it is a hard 1980s R or a soft 1990s R.

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

If I am not mistaken, he was simply done with the videogame adaptations of the Joker and it was taken out of context.

if recall, i believe what he originally said was that he's done with the joker, unless its the killing joke. and then he came back for arkham knight and whatever else. dont care, best joker

 

[Ryallen]

I'm not at all surprised. Not because of Deadpool, but given half the shit that happens in The Killing Joke, I can only say that it would have been disappointing if it WASN'T.

 

[thewatergamer]

I'm glad that they are staying true to the comic despite it pushing it to a higher rating

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

So he claimed, but he was back for Arkham Knight and now he's back for this. Not that I'm complaining.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

So he claimed, but he was back for Arkham Knight and now he's back for this. Not that I'm complaining.

Right? Mark Hamill should be used to going back to things he'd sworn off of before. I'm sure he never thought he'd be starring in another Star Wars movie again.

 

[DoctorM]

I'm confused, it was my understanding that MPAA ratings were only given to features being THEATRICALLY released.
Do they have plans to not release 'Killing Joke' direct to video release like every other DC Universe Animated Original Movies?

It sounds more like it's being produced AS IF it's rated R?

Sigh, I blame Deadpool: This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[Saelune]

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

According to him, he was misquoted and never actually said that.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

I'm confused, it was my understanding that MPAA ratings were only given to features being THEATRICALLY released.
Do they have plans to not release 'Killing Joke' direct to video release like every other DC Universe Animated Original Movies?

It sounds more like it's being produced AS IF it's rated R?

Sigh, I blame Deadpool: This is why we can't have nice things.

Uh, what? There have been plenty of straight-to-DVD movies that have been rated R. I can't think of any that were animated, but plenty of horror movies don't get theatrical releases and still get an R rating. I can't think of a reason why that shouldn't also apply to animated films.

You can blame Deadpool all you want, but were have been plenty of R-rated comic book based movies that came before it, and people have been asking for R-rated versions of properties where it would make sense long before that.

 

[Vault Citizen]

I'm confused, it was my understanding that MPAA ratings were only given to features being THEATRICALLY released.
Do they have plans to not release 'Killing Joke' direct to video release like every other DC Universe Animated Original Movies?

It sounds more like it's being produced AS IF it's rated R?

Sigh, I blame Deadpool: This is why we can't have nice things.

It was announced that this movie might receive an R rating before Deadpool was released

http://batman-news.com/2015/10/09/batman-the-killing-joke-rated-r/

 

[J-Dig]

At least the rating is fitting for the source material. It feels like a couple of recent DC animated films have shoved in an awkward sex scene or bad language just to present the movie as an experience for adults.

 

[karloss01]

I thought Mark Hamill was done with the Joker?

It's like how Bruce puts it in the Dark Knight Returns (The animated one as it adds to the original line)

"I'm not finished yet... And you're not finished with me. You're never finished with me..."

excepting instead of talking to a bat, Hamill is talking to a clown and the guy is freaked out.