Are movie viewers ready for an R rated space opera?

[Ivanstone]

It made sense in Deadpool because of who Deadpool is. It it makes sense in the story then go for it. People would go for it if it doesnt feel forced.

I don't think that's a consideration. Even bad movie's can do well. It is harder to market an "R" rated movie though.

Deadpool did show you can make good money going rated "R". It did well in spite of losing some international markets and having a more limited release within the US. Even then, it had a relatively low budget and Ryan Reynolds had to do a shit tonne of production work just to keep things moving. It wasn't much of a risk.

Here's the domestic all time gross for rated "R":
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime...?page=R&p=.htm

Most of the movies on this have relatively modest budgets. Some of the bigger ones are sequels (T2) or the creative team had some pull (Revenant). Very few of them are Sci-Fi/Fantasy and of those that are, they're not Space Operas or High Fantasy. Hollywood's not much for taking risks. Starship Troopers might be as close you'll get to a high budget Space Opera. Also I hesitate to label it as a Space Opera. And it tanked in the theatres.

[ro9ue]

Check out Sunshine.

[Rukh]

Check out Sunshine.

Sunshine is a good movie worth checking out but it's not a space opera in any way.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Problem with a lot of Sci-fi doing this is they aim to sell more than just movie tickets. They want to sell toys. Comics. Video games. Then be a McDonald's theme for a month. All these things are a lot easier when you are kids friendly. Or at least keep it mild.

[Deleted]

What would you think of an adult themed space opera with serious themes? Serious themes like war, politics, slavery, cloning, artificial intelligence etc.

You have the "the expanse" tv serie....that is very serious.

[Polybius]

Even if ready, you have to think about the budget.

[BuckSparkles]

So, Game of Thrones in space? :P

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So, Game of Thrones in space? I'd be down for that. :P

I vote for game of thrones in space.

[Felrane]

The Expanse was pretty good. Altered carbon has pretty much everything you listed.

[Nihilist74]

I would be happy if they just made one that was good.

[deepr]

I'm afraid the only big budget space opera you'll get to see these days is a Marvel/Disney-fied, incoherent bubblegum mess with one scene flashing by after another, bright colors and lens flares, over the top bombastic music and young heroes who are barely past their teens.

We can only hope that this phase will end at some point in time, so there can be more serious sci-fi movies again, which take things a little slower, with a gritty, dark, mysterious, atmospheric vibe and a coherent story.

[tyrlaan]

I'm afraid the only big budget space opera you'll get to see these days is a Marvel/Disney-fied, incoherent bubblegum mess with one scene flashing by after another, bright colors and lens flares, over the top bombastic music and young heroes who are barely past their teens.

We can only hope that this phase will end at some point in time, so there can be more serious sci-fi movies again, which take things a little slower, with a gritty, dark, mysterious, atmospheric vibe and a coherent story.

Leaning on the tired "Disneyfied" insult makes the rest of what you said here hard to take credibly so I'm passing on most of it, but I'm curious why serious sci-fi movies need to be "gritty, dark, and mysterious". Sci-fi movies can't be serious without ALL of these qualities?

[Crillam]

Or do the people think when they see a spaceship or an alien they think it is a kids movie?

What would you think of an adult themed space opera with serious themes? Serious themes like war, politics, slavery, cloning, artificial intelligence etc.

Would a scene in which a human psychically "embraces eternity" with an elf like alien female be a cheap way to attract viewers or should it be done?


Would adult viewers be freaked out or bored by such a scene?

Is the movie world ready for it?

And by the way I don't want this movie to be Mass Effect!

Problem is that those movies are not cheap to make, and to cater to older audience might be a hard sell. Sure Deadpool and Logan were rated R and did very well at the box office, but those movies were "cheap" to make. Without marketing Logan was about 97 million and Deadpool was not even 60. But superhero movies are the biggest thing now and a known brand. So yeah I would say that the people are ready for a rated R space opera. But I am sure the studios are not willing to gamble on it.

[Endus]

I'm afraid the only big budget space opera you'll get to see these days is a Marvel/Disney-fied, incoherent bubblegum mess with one scene flashing by after another, bright colors and lens flares, over the top bombastic music and young heroes who are barely past their teens.

We can only hope that this phase will end at some point in time, so there can be more serious sci-fi movies again, which take things a little slower, with a gritty, dark, mysterious, atmospheric vibe and a coherent story.

This "phase" doesn't exist. Most of the top sci-fi films of recent history have been either relatively hard sci-fi, or relatively dark and gritty visually, and often not frenetically paced. I'm talking films like, in no particular order;

Moon
The Martian
Ex Machina
Arrival
Blade Runner 2049
Edge of Tomorrow
Dredd (2012)
District 9
Looper
Mad Max: Fury Road

And that's just me sticking to the last decade, and to films I felt are really strong contributions to the genre. And excluding basically all the Star Wars/Trek stuff, the flashy garbage of Avatar, and so on.

Edit: I should clarify that by "top" I mean "well-respected by critics and viewers", not box-office returns, which will ALWAYS favor blockbuster flashy lights over strong story.

[Deleted]

Meh. Being R simply for the sake of being R is boring and transparent. You can usually see right through the antics to the point where they become somewhat irritating.

Yep. Adding pointless sex and nudity just for the "shock value"... well, there is no shock value any more. Instead it can get annoying. If you would cut off all the nude scenes from Game of Thrones, it wouldn't lose anything relevant. Instead it would become something you can actually watch with your family present.

And if someone watches GoT or any other series just in hopes of seeing sex and nudity... well, then there's definitely something wrong with you. The net is full of material dedicated to nudity already. Why to rub it in people's faces in mainstream TV series as well?

[tyrlaan]

If you would cut off all the nude scenes from Game of Thrones, it wouldn't lose anything relevant.

Yeah, but then would there be even one season worth of material?

[Ivanstone]

Yep. Adding pointless sex and nudity just for the "shock value"... well, there is no shock value any more. Instead it can get annoying. If you would cut off all the nude scenes from Game of Thrones, it wouldn't lose anything relevant. Instead it would become something you can actually watch with your family present.

You're kidding right? Whilst some (not all) of the nudity is gratuitous, the show is still incredibly violent and filled with all kinds of fucked up shit.

[shaunika123]

What would you think of an adult themed space opera with serious themes? Serious themes like war, politics, slavery, cloning, artificial intelligence etc.
t!

I just got prequel flashbacks.

also, isnt the whole point of a space opera is that it's not super serious, and realistic?

Yep. Adding pointless sex and nudity just for the "shock value"... well, there is no shock value any more. Instead it can get annoying. If you would cut off all the nude scenes from Game of Thrones, it wouldn't lose anything relevant. Instead it would become something you can actually watch with your family present.

you now what tone is right? the whole point of GoT is showcasing a "realistic" fantasy, and sex is part of that. and it's part of establishing tone.

and anyway, how come sex scenes are a huge problem but people getting decapitated, buthcered, flayed, etc arent?
you really got your priorities straight.

[Vizardlorde]

avatar had sex between large blue skinned humanoids in another planet

[Deleted]

Yep. Adding pointless sex and nudity just for the "shock value"... well, there is no shock value any more. Instead it can get annoying. If you would cut off all the nude scenes from Game of Thrones, it wouldn't lose anything relevant. Instead it would become something you can actually watch with your family present.

So you are one who think... "Fuck you" is acceptable but not "I want to fuck you" So executions, murder and torture is somthing you can watch with your family present. Imagen Joffrey death with your family present.....

[Thelxi]

Of course it could happen. It would need to be good though, and it is probably much easier to just keep churning out guardians of the galaxy.