Disney is bringing a trio of R-rated Marvel superhero films to Disney Plus. At San Diego Comic-Con, the company announced that Deadpool, Deadpool 2 and Logan — three Marvel films published by 20th Century Fox — will all be available to stream on Disney Plus starting July 22 in the US.
This is a significant change in policy for Disney, which has generally limited its Disney Plus content to PG-13 and TV-MA rated plans in the US. In March, Disney added new parental controls to Disney Plus that would allow R-Rated and TV-MA content, paving the way for Netflix Marvel shows, including the graphically violent Daredevil and The Punisher, to stream on the platform.
Deadpool, Deadpool 2, and Logan are undeniably violent, and these films have no shortage of salty language and other adult content, but Disney seems open to relaxing its stance on releasing content for all ages. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has said Disney’s next Deadpool movie will be R-rated, and upcoming movies like Blade could be, too.
Disney has tested R-rated content for Disney Plus in other territories. The streamer brought 2001 Jet Li action film Kiss of the Dragon to Canadian Disney Plus subscribers earlier this year, and other territories include R-rated content as part of a combined Disney Plus and Hulu catalog.
In a press release, Disney encouraged subscribers to “reconsider their parental control settings to ensure a viewing experience that’s most suitable for them and their family.”
However, Disney Plus subscribers who haven’t seen Marvel’s R-rated page are in for a treat. The Deadpool movies starring Ryan Reynolds are great fun, and their graphic violence is served with an over-the-top comedic twist. The 2016 original Deadpool tells the origin story of anti-hero mercenary Wade Wilson on a mission for revenge. Deadpool 2, released in 2018, continues to take cues from Marvel’s X-Men universe, bringing with it allies like Domino (Zazie Beetz) and foes like Cable (Josh Brolin).
Logan, released in 2017, is significantly less…fun. In James Mangold’s adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Old Man Logan, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) takes care of both an ailing Professor X and a young new mutant with a mysterious past. It’s a fitting but unnerving farewell to Jackman’s version of the character.