Even More Blatant Than “Joker”: Joaquin Phoenix’s New Movie Gets An Age Rating That Was Once Intended For Porn

Director Todd Phillips’ “Joker” hit theaters in 2019 and divided audiences into two camps. While some critics didn’t think the drama was particularly good (including us, as can be read in the review), there are certainly voices calling the film a masterpiece. What everyone will probably agree on is that protagonist Joaquin Phoenix (currently in theaters in Beau Is Afraid) performed quite exceptionally. As in almost all of his roles, Phoenix just gives it his all as Arthur Fleck.

In the US, “Joker” has been given an R rating, which is an age rating that makes it clear that the film is primarily aimed at adults. It suggests that such a film could be quite explicit in terms of language, depiction of violence and sexuality and was therefore certainly not made for children. However, Phoenix’s next role will be even bolder…

Joaquin Phoenix’s New Movie Gets an NC-17 Rating!

The film festival is currently taking place in Cannes and the who’s who of the international film scene are gathering on the French coast. Among them was ‘Carol’ director Todd Haynes, who presented (and quite impressed!) his new drama ‘May December’. In an interview with he also chatted about his new projects on the red carpet. Including an untitled movie he’s working on with Joaquin Phoenix – and one he already knows will be violent.

Hayne’s new film is the brainchild of Joaquin Phoenix himself, and the two co-wrote the script with screenwriter Jon Raymond. According to Haynes, the drama is about a gay romance set in 1930s Los Angeles. He is sure: “This is going to be an NC-17 movie”. He also explains that this appreciation was mainly due to Phoenix, who convinced Haynes to push boundaries.

Successor to Porn Rating X: What Does “NC-17” Mean?

An NC-17 rating in the US means that those under the age of 18 have absolutely no access to the film. If you are 17 or under you can still see the movie if you are 17 or under if you are rated R if you are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian; if you are NC-17 there is no exception. So it is clearly an adult production.

Violence, sex, abnormal behavior, substance abuse and other content that is absolutely inappropriate for children play a role in this rating. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the movie has to be really pornographic – although it used to be.

The rating category was introduced mainly for porn movies. It was then called X-Rating and was even controlled by the porn industry. When it became an official age rating of the MPAA in 1990, it was redesignated NC-17 to shed its pornographic image as well.

However, it is still the highest age rating that can be awarded in the US – and it rarely is. Because many movie theaters refuse to run NC-17 rated movies. It is rarely used in foreign films with sex scenes too explicit for the US. It made headlines last year when “Blonde” became the first Netflix movie to receive an NC-17 rating.

Exactly why Phoenix’s new movie will be bolder than “Joker” (and all the Phoenix movies before it) can’t be said exactly yet. NC-17 is usually indicative of explicit sex scenes. When we can get the work in the cinemas is also not certain yet.

There will be no other Joaquin Phoenix movie for now

In fact, the as-yet-untitled project with Haynes shouldn’t be Phoenix’s next film. Because from now on he would be shooting Pawel Pawlikowski’s (“Ida”) new movie “The Island” with Rooney Mara (“Carol”). How however, nothing more is being reported about it for the time being. The reason for this is the threat of further strikes in Hollywood. In addition to the currently striking screenwriters, there is also a possible strike by the actors’ union in the room. Due to the danger of having to shut down production, every insurance company refused to cover them against such a failure, which now means the end of the project.

“The Island” would tell the true story of an American couple who want to move to a deserted island and live self-sufficiently there. But the plans threaten to fail when a noblewoman from Europe discovers the island herself and wants to build a luxury hotel there. Phoenix and Mara would play the emigrant couple.

If you want to see Phoenix in action on the big screen, check out “Beau is scared” view. The film of “Midsommar” director Ari Aster is currently in theaters. On the other hand, we have to wait more than a year for the “Joker” sequel “Folie à Deux”. The sequel is coming October 3, 2024 in the cinemas.