A killer from another world is going to invade Earth next month when Shane Black returns to the Predator series for The Predator. The trailers for the film have seemingly promised a return to form, with intense violence and some pretty crude humor sprinkled throughout. Now that The Predator has received its official R rating, we can now confirm that these elements will help solidify its adult status. Specifically, the film has an R-rating for:
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, and crude sexual references.
Most of these elements should not surprise longtime fans of the franchise. Predators are vicious hunters who kill, skin, and debone their victims without a second thought. Couple that with the fact that the film will introduce an elite team of special forces operators and an "Ultimate Predator" for them to face off against, and it becomes relatively clear that violence will play a significant role in this story. Then add in the fact that this is a Shane Black movie, and we can expect a lot of swearing and references to sexuality as well.
Of course, the rating laid out by Filmratings.com doesn't necessarily note that there are actual sexual situations or nudity in the film. With so much chaos accompanying the arrival of the aliens, it looks like the, "if your mom's vagina was a video game" gag from a recent red band trailer is the extent of it.
Given Shane Black's desire to bring the franchise back to the spirit of the films that opened the series back in the 1980s and 1990s (not to mention the fact that Shane Black was actually a star of the original Predator movie), we should expect something that leans much closer to John McTiernan's Predator than something as (relatively) family-friendly as Alien vs. Predator.
An R rating for The Predator seems to make plenty of sense, particularly when we look at how the franchise has endeavored to go back to its roots. Most installments in the Predator franchise (such as Predator, Predator 2, and Predators) have all been rated R, and the only film to delve into the realm of PG-13 was Alien vs. Predator, and while Alien vs. Predator: Requiem DID have an R rating, we still don't like to talk about that film.
The Predator will hit theaters next month on September 14. If you want to see all of the bloody violence and hear all of the strong language and crude sexual references, then make sure to check it out when it debuts -- just remember to leave the kids at home. Until the film makes its theatrical debut, you can also head over to our 2018 movie premiere guide to read up on all of the films that are going to hit theaters this year.
