In an effort to broaden the audience for 'The Expendables 3', the movie has been carefully made to fit the PG-13 rating--a decision now deeply regretted by the film's writer, Sylvester Stallone.
The question on the film's rating came to light when Stallone revealed that the DVD and Blu-ray versions of 'The Expendables 3' would show the uncut scenes of the movie, which would have been part of the theatre release had it not been for its PG-13 rating.
"The idea with PG-13, we wanted to hit a broad audience and because of our predecessors, looking at the Bournes and James Bonds, we thought they're pretty violent films," explained Stallone in a recent interview with Crave Online.
According to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), a movie released under a PG-13 rating signifies that there will be scenes included in the film that parents or guardians may find inappropriate or unsuitable to be seen by a child younger than 13 years old. This kind of movie may expose the children to material that could go "beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements, but does not reach the restricted R category." Some of the well-known PG-13-rated films are 'Marvel's The Avengers', 'The Hunger Games', and 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.'
With the exception of this latest installment, both previous movies in the same series, namely, 'The Expendables' and 'The Expendables 2', were rated R. Films that are R-rated require moviegoers under 17 years of age to be accompanied by their parent or adult guardian before being granted access. An R-rate movie "may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents are counseled to take this rating very seriously." Examples of R-rated movies are '300', 'Gone Girl', and '22 Jump Street.' Hence, adults are generally advised against bringing children with them to watch these kinds of films.
When asked if the upcoming films under the same storyline will ditch the PG-13 rating and go for their usual R-rating, the 68-year-old actor and writer responded with a resounding confirmation.
"Absolutely, unequivocally yes," Stallone declared. "I believe [Expendables 3 being PG-13] was a horrible miscalculation on everyone's part in trying to reach a wider audience, but in doing such, diminish the violence that the audience expects. I'm quite certain it won't happen again."
In addition, it was Stallone who reportedly advised the film executives to tone down the violence of the latest installment to give the film a chance to compete with its competitors.
"I thought also the amount of violence and warfare in this movie, if it was graphic it would almost be too much. Even though I personally enjoy it, it would be pushing the envelope and also diminish the humor."
Apart from the lowered rating pursued by the film, 'The Expendables 3' had suffered an earlier setback prior to its release. Weeks before its theater opening, a clear copy has been leaked online to 2.2 million users. It was believed that the clear and pristine leaked copy, combined with the lowered rating of the film, contributed to its relatively low debut earnings.
With regard the next installment of the film series, it was reportedly claimed that Patrick Hughes, the director of 'Expendables 3', suggested that the team would be transported to a different era like the World War II period.
"I have actually entertained the idea of putting the group into such an unnatural environment that it, in an of itself, creates extra suspense and tension: the "fish out of water" scenario. That environment might not be time travel, but nearly just as jarring," Stallone shared referring to the possible next plot for 'The Expendables 4'.
