When a movie is rated PG-13 instead of R, it can mean the difference between a family outing and a solo trip to the theater. But what really differentiates rating from each other — and what effects do they have?
In 1968, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) created the modern film rating system. G, the rating suitable for audience members of all ages, is the essentially the “kid friendly” rating, followed by PG and PG-13, where parents are warned of possible sensitive content for children including violence and nudity.
The R rating indicates movies may include adult themes or activity, profanity, intense or persistent violence and other elements; the MPA restricts children under 17 from attending R-rated films unaccompanied by a parent or adult guardian. NC-17 stands as the strictest warning in the MPA rating system; most parents would consider the movies too adult for their children 17 and under, and no children are admitted to these films.
While almost all of these ratings require at least some parental guidance, the R-rating stands as the “forbidden” title — a cinematic red flag that marks a movie as too intense, explicit or mature for younger viewers without adult supervision.
The threshold between recommendation and restriction lies between the PG-13 and R ratings, with PG-13 encompassing the most mature movies teenagers can watch alone with their friends.
As a result, behind every movie rating lies a marketing calculation. The difference between an R and a PG-13 can make or break a film’s reach — especially among teen audiences who may not be able to buy tickets on their own. That’s why studios often push to keep films PG-13, even if it means editing out key scenes or softening language and tone.
For example, the 2021 movie “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” sparked debates on this issue. Due to the main character’s violent nature and comic book background, it was believed that the film would receive an R rating — many fans of the comics have even argued that the best big-screen iteration of the character would be R-rated. Yet, it was ultimately rated PG-13.
Many experts have theorized that films are forced into the PG-13 rating to maximize profits. When a film is rated PG or R, audiences assume the film is tailored to children or mature audiences, so studios lose potential viewers.
The design of “Venom” was successful in this regard, as it earned over $850 million worldwide. The director of the film’s sequel, Andy Serkis, justified the decision to veer away from the more mature rating, as he believes that flat-out gore or violence isn’t required to deliver a message. Serkis states in an interview that regardless of its rating, the film doesn’t shy away from the darkness and still maintains the violent nature in the characters.
He brings up a good point — ratings don’t necessarily define how gory or violent a movie will feel. Instead, it comes down to how the movie handles the material in a way that evokes strong emotions or reactions within viewers.
However, the restrictions of ratings still undeniably categorize and limit movies. A PG-13 movie allows leeway for violence; incorporating violence in these movies is accepted, but seeing more realistic effects of violence, with an emphasis on blood, comes close to the borderline.
While having scenes with blood doesn’t inherently make a movie better, many believe that it is a visual storytelling tool too often denied in superhero movies. Blood means threat, drama and therefore also high stakes. The bloodlessness of family-friendly superhero movies is a symbol that it may not take itself as seriously. It’s not bloodlust that has fans hungry for R-ratings; rather, they want superhero stories to have access to the creative freedom that blood illustrates.
Ultimately, each rating can still find its own success —
“Venom” succeeded with its more conservative violence, while on the opposite side of the spectrum, movies like “Deadpool” achieved great popularity with its generous inclusion of bloody scenes and constant use of vulgar language. This more than enough warrants the movie to have its R rating, but also takes the movie’s comedic timing and enjoyment to another level.
As “Deadpool” proves, R-ratings, despite the more limiting the reach of a movie, can still thrive when tailored to the intended themes. For example, “Oppenheimer,” a biographical drama that follows the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who led the Manhattan Project, won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2024 with an R-rating. The movie greatly embraced its maturity, with brutally honest storytelling on the difficult situations and challenges that individuals had to face during the chaos of World War 2 and the Cold War.
The choice between PG-13 and R isn’t just about content — it’s about intent. Whether a film seeks to entertain a wide audience or dive deeply into mature themes, the rating it receives often defines not just what’s shown, but how it’s remembered.
