Deadpool and Wolverine parents guide: This MCU movie is not suitable for kids

It's the time that all fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been waiting for. Yes, the one and only MCU movie to come out this year is making its presence felt on silver screens around the world, as Deadpool and Wolverine is upon us. And unless you've been living in an X-Mansion without Cerebro at your disposal, you'll know that it's gearing up to be a game-changer as it will introduce the world of the X-Men into the MCU.

This might be the 34th movie in the MCU franchise but it's also important to remember that it's the third movie in the Deadpool franchise, too. The two previous movies were not family-friendly in the slightest, and now Ryan Reynolds' Merc With A Mouth is back for a new adventure that sees him team up with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. The question is: Will this one be suitable for kids now that it's a part of the MCU?

Deadpool and Wolverine is rated R for violence, language, and sex references

Deadpool and Wolverine makes Marvel Cinematic Universe history as the first movie in the franchise to be rated R. All of the MCU movies have received a PG-13 rating, so there is an obvious change in this one to garner an R rating. And believe me when I say it's an obvious change.

Interestingly it has only been rated 15 in the UK. Although not the equivalent of the R rating in the US (that would be 18), the British Board of Film Classification has given it that rating for "strong bloody violence, injury detail, sex references, very strong language."

If you're planning on seeing it this weekend and would like to know what kind of movie to expect, here is a more detailed breakdown of why it earns that rating.

Violence: The biggest factor in Deadpool and Wolverine's R rating is the violence. The movie is explicitly violent, with plenty of gruesome and bloody fight scenes throughout. The opening scene features Deadpool himself battling a number of assailants with a very sharp object, resulting in some very gory scenes. Elsewhere, people are stabbed with more sharp objects, beheaded, and one character has their skin ripped straight off their body. And as neither Deadpool nor Wolverine can die, both men brutally batter each other on multiple occasions.

The violence is mostly played for laughs, with almost all of the big bloody fight scenes being accompanied by a classic pop song, but that doesn't make them any less, well, bloody.

Language: Constant. Yes, the Deadpool franchise is also known for swearing with ease and we see plenty of that in this one. The word "f*ck" is said repeatedly by both Deadpool and Wolverine, who make full use of the fact that they can say whatever they want in an R-rated movie. The word "sh*t" crops up a number of times too, but it's rather typical for MCU movies at this point. What isn't typical is the use of the word "d*ck" in innovative insults and we all know Deadpool likes to be innovative. There also also multiple sexual innuendos.

Sex and Nudity: There are no sex scenes and no nudity in Deadpool and Wolverine, but there are a number of sex references, as well as multiple innuendos in the dialog.

Drugs and Alcohol: There but not overwhelming. While the previous Deadpool movies did place quite the focus on Wade Wilson and Blind Al's drug use, it plays a much smaller role in this movie as it is only discussed in dialog in two scenes (one near the beginning and the other near the end). If you've seen the trailer for the movie, you'll know there is a joke in which Wade tells Blind Al that Kevin Feige has "banned" all references to cocaine and that they can't use any of the code words.

There is, however, more of a focus on alcohol, as one character in particular tends to drink a lot throughout the movie.

Deadpool and Wolverine arrives in movie theaters on July 26, 2024.