Superman Star Wants the Man of Steel in an R-Rated DC Movie (but Is It a Good Idea?)

James Gunn’s Superman will be a family-friendly blockbuster when it opens next week, but star David Corenswet would like to see his Kal-El go in a different direction in future projects. Speaking with Nerdist while promoting Superman, Corenswet was asked what he’d like to do next with the character. Highlighting Gunn’s desire to populate the DC Universe franchise with a variety of tones, Corenswet pitched an R-rated Superman project that followed a detective storyline and had a much darker tone. Though Superman is “bright and playful,” Corenswet believes it’s still possible to be “flexible” when it comes to the depiction of the Man of Steel.

“One thing that excites me so much about James’ vision for the DCU is the different genres and tones that the movies can take on,” Corenswet said. “I know that people are skeptical that certain genres and characters can mix … I would love to see this Superman in an R-rated project in a thing like Lanterns where it’s that True Detective feel. I just think it can happen in spite of how bright and playful this version of the character is. I think there’s room to be flexible. So, I’d be excited to see that.”

Unsurprisingly, Superman has been rated PG-13, the same as all of the theatrically released Superman films of the past two decades. The movies of the Christopher Reeve era were rated PG (the PG-13 rating wasn’t introduced until 1984). Alternate cuts of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League were rated R, but both of those titles were PG-13 when they debuted in theaters.

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The next DCU film scheduled after Superman is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which will also likely be a PG-13-rated summer tentpole when it hits theaters next June. Also arriving next year is Clayface, which has already been described as an R-rated body horror film. On the TV side of things, Peacemaker Season 2 will keep Season 1’s TV-MA rating. On both the big and small screens, DC Studios is showing the versatility of comic book adaptations.

One of the criticisms of Superman’s portrayal in the DC Extended Universe was that the films took things in arguably too dark of a direction. Man of Steel and Batman v Superman approached things from a distinct perspective, grounding Superman and exploring the real-world response to the emergence of such a powerful being. Those movies also tackled the emotional toll being Superman took on Clark Kent as he grappled with his place in the universe. In some respects, it made for a fascinating change of pace, but the mixed responses to the DCEU illustrate it didn’t full work for audiences. In contrast, Superman is seen as an optimistic, classic summer blockbuster that harkens back to the spirit of the Reeve installments. Though the reboot looks to have some things in common with Batman v Superman, the overall tone is very different, and arguably fits the character better.

Superman is projected to do very well at the box office when it opens next week, so it’s clear Gunn had the right idea with his “bright and playful” depiction of Superman. If the film is well-received critically and commercial, subsequent outings will likely follow a similar playbook. Corenswet is right in saying there’s room to be flexible regarding the portrayal of these characters. Superheroes are constantly being reinvented across various mediums, and none of them fit firmly in one box. However, that doesn’t mean each one should get an R-rated adaptation. It might be interesting to see the DCU’s Superman put on his Rust Cohle cap and solve a mystery, but DC has plenty of characters where a darker tone is arguably more appropriate (i.e. Batman). It might be better if Superman stays bright and playful for the time being. That’s not to say a Superman sequel can’t explore darker themes, but at the end of the day, the character is meant to stand for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.