The highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time
In theory, R-rated movies aren’t expected to earn anywhere near as much as their PG-13 or lower counterparts, for the sole reason that restricting who can and can’t see the film on the big screen instantly eliminates a major subsection of paying customers.
That’s why the overwhelming majority of blockbusters since the 1970s have made a point of sanding down their harder edges to guarantee they’ll reach as many people as possible, not that it’s hampered plenty of titles from breaking through and devouring the box office to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
It’s a fairly recent phenomenon, though, with The Exorcist holding onto the title of highest-grossing R-rated release in history for almost 20 years after raking in $441million in 1973. It wouldn’t be exceeded until James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day came along, with the sci-fi sequel also becoming the first-ever R-rated feature to cross half a billion dollars in global ticket sales.
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator would achieve the same feat nine years later, although it failed to earn more overall. It would be a dozen years until Arnold Schwarzenegger’s second outing as the iconic title character was usurped, with the hype surrounding The Matrix Reloaded driving the Wachowskis’ own sci-fi sophomore outing to a massive $741million.
Once again, Keanu Reeves’ Neo would hold the throne with a vice-like grip for well over ten years, until Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool burst onto the scene to accrue $782million, with that particular record standing for only two years until Deadpool 2 topped the earning power of its predecessor.
The very next year, Todd Phillips’ Joker would emerge as not just the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, but the first – and so far only – to ever cross the fabled billion-dollar threshold. If it wants to take a leaf out of Deadpool‘s playbook, then the pressure is on for this year’s follow-up Folie à Deux to match the mammoth takings of its forebear.
Signalling a shift in the tastes of the ticket-buying public, since Terminator 2 cemented its place in the history books as the first-ever $500million R-rated hit, a further 18 films have gone on to do the same, with Gladiator and anime sensation Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train the only two that crossed half a billion while still managing to fall short of Cameron’s seminal sequel.
Four of them are comic book adaptations – with Joker and the Deadpool duo being joined by Logan – while Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer sits in second position on the historical rankings. Andy Muschietti’s It, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, Chinese buddy comedy Detective Chinatown 3, and The Hangover Part II are all among the top ten, showcasing the breadth of the R-rated hits in terms of genre.
