Timeline of the Highest-Grossing R-Rated Films

Some movies bring families together, while others send parents scrambling to find a sitter. The pesky R-rating by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) is known for blood, swearing, steamy visuals, and excessive violence on the silver screen, but that hasn’t stopped theaters from selling tickets. From spicy romances like Fifty Shades of Grey to raunchy comedies like The Hangover, R-rated films have never failed to attract an audience. Although this rating (in theory) may limit the under-17 crowd, these films have repeatedly proven they can still pull in massive box office numbers.

The Hangover, Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

If you’ve ever been interested in just how well R-rated movies do, here’s a breakdown of the highest-grossing R-rated films over time.

Genre Breakdown: What Sells an R Rating?

The R rating has been surprisingly diverse in content. While they all include content the MPA deems unacceptable for kids, some are drenched in comic-book mayhem like Deadpool, others swing for awards season like Oppenheimer, and some focus on horrifying clowns.

Oppenheimer, Image credit: Universal Pictures

Of course, genres are somewhat subjective, and most films can be thrown into multiple genres (as you’ll see below), but here’s how the biggest earners stack up by genre:

Action: 21 films (42%) – 300, Bad Boys for Life, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Deadpool, Django Unchained, Enter the Dragon, Gladiator, Gladiator II, John Wick: Chapter 4, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Last Samurai, Lucy, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Troy, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Deadpool & Wolverine.

Comedy: 15 films (30%) – Bad Boys for Life, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Detective Chinatown 2, Detective Chinatown 3, The Hangover, The Hangover Part II, The Intouchables, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Mermaid, Pretty Woman, Sex and the City, Ted, The Wolf of Wall Street, Deadpool.

Drama: 18 films (36%) – A Star Is Born, The Bodyguard, Django Unchained, Gladiator, Gladiator II, Joker, The King’s Speech, The Last Samurai, Logan, Oppenheimer, The Passion of the Christ, Sex and the City, The Revenant, Saving Private Ryan, Troy, The Wolf of Wall Street, 1917, American Sniper.

Romance: 8 films (16%) – A Star Is Born, The Bodyguard, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades of Grey, The Mermaid, Pretty Woman, Sex and the City, The Bodyguard.

Superhero: 5 films (10%) – Deadpool & Wolverine, Joker, Deadpool 2, Deadpool, Logan.

Sci-Fi: 8 films (16%) – Lucy, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Prometheus, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

Horror: 5 films (10%) – The Exorcist, It, It Chapter Two, Prometheus, Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train.

War: 4 films (8%) – 1917, American Sniper, Saving Private Ryan, The Last Samurai.

Fantasy: 1 film (2%) – The Mermaid.

Western: 1 film (2%) – Django Unchained.

Adventure: 1 film (2%) – The Revenant.

Animation: 1 film (2%) – Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train.

As we can see, action seems to get butts in chairs more than any genre, though comedy makes a good show, too.

Superheroes Rule (the Box Office)

When three of the top five R-rated movies feature Deadpool, you’ve got to give the guy his crown. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) obliterated records with $1.33 billion worldwide, and its predecessors (Deadpool and Deadpool 2) still sit comfortably with over $780 million each.

Deadpool, Image credit: 20th Century Fox

Joker (2019), while technically about a villain, turned Gotham into an arthouse nightmare and still managed to cross $1 billion. 2017’s Logan doubled as both a superhero flick and a heart-wrenching drama that bid farewell to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. No surprise to any movie buff, but superheroes sell.

Adjusted for Inflation

Older movies often had multiple re-releases in theaters, so while the numbers in our ranking are lifetime earnings, if we adjust each film’s initial box office release numbers for inflation, some surprising champions emerge. The Exorcist (1973), which grossed $193 million at its release, remains a monster at the box office, with inflation-adjusted earnings well north of $1.4 billion. The Matrix (1999), too, would shoot to the top of the list, with its $463 million release earning nearly $900 million in today’s dollars. Another action/drama combo, 2000’s Gladiator would be right behind, with an estimated $864 million box office release.

The Matrix, Image credit: Warner Bros.

The history of R-rated box office champions is wild, unpredictable, and recently full of foul-mouthed superheroes. Whether it’s a clown with a red balloon, a romantic musical drama, or a three-hour lesson in nuclear physics, it’s clear that if it’s compelling enough, audiences will show up, age restriction or not.

If you’re interested in more movie content, PixlParade has got you covered, whether you’re fangirling over the new Superman or a fan of family films.

Source: Wikipedia