Kevin Feige Explains Why 'Deadpool' Hasn't Convinced Marvel To Make An R-Rated Movie

Following the success of Deadpool at the box office earlier this year, some fans were hoping that this would convince studios to take more risks with R-rated comic book movies. More specifically, fans were hoping to see Marvel Studios go a little darker by making the first R-rated movie in the Marvel cinematic universe. However, Disney chairman Bob Iger said that fans shouldn't get their hopes up, and now Marvel's president echoes those sentiments.

While discussing Captain America: Civil War, Kevin Feige addressed the potential of an R-rated Marvel Studios movie coming together and confirmed there are no discussions to make that happen. Furthermore, he explained what he believes made Deadpool a success, and while the R-rating didn't hurt, he understands that it wasn't the sole determining factor in garnering acclaim and box office bucks.

Speaking with Deadline, Feige said that the R-rating is only part of the reason Deadpool did so well with audiences and critics alike and hasn't convinced them to even discuss an R-rated Marvel movie. Feige explains:

"The thing that Deadpool shows is, when you present something unique to an audience, they will respond to it. When you present something as popular as a superhero character, in a different and unique and crazy way as they did in Deadpool, it demands attention and audiences went to it. They pulled it off. Tim Miller did a tremendous job."

Indeed, the fact that Deadpool is a very unique character helped the film stand out among the rest of the superhero movies out there. However, it's staying true to what makes him unique that really helped, and Feige doesn't think people are paying close enough attention to that.

"The other secret, and why it's still a secret, I don't know, but they just took what Deadpool is in the comics. He breaks the fourth wall. He talks into the camera. He doesn't give a sh*t about any of the other heroes. He doesn't take anything seriously. All of that is what made Deadpool so popular in the comics. Tim and [Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick] and Ryan Reynolds were able to get that and even magnify that up on the big screen. We've always said if there's any 'secret' it's respect the source material, understand the source material and then, any adaptation you make from the source material should be done only to enhance whatever the original pure spirit of the source material was. Deadpool hit on all cylinders with that."

Kevin Feige is absolutely right. The focus on the R-rating is the wrong takeaway from Deadpool's success, and Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn also said as much following the film's strong reception. That's not stopping Fox from potentially putting an R-rated Wolverine 3 together, but that's a franchise that could potentially benefit from the change. We'll have to see if Hollywood starts to give the more unique comic book characters out there a chance to thrive in the right environment like Deadpool.