The Wolfman Gets 'R' Rating In US

The last thing needed was for this it to be mauled and cut to ribbons by a scared studio, therefore limping out on release as a lame, well, mutt. There would have been howls of derision! And Universal would have lost a lot of money.

So we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief because it’s finally out in February 2010 and Universal have announced the American cut will receive an ‘R’ rating. This bodes well for other countries. In the UK, The Wolfman will no doubt get the ’15′ certificate. Other countries have differing ratings criteria depending on a plethora of cultural and social issues. Let’s hope it is as scary and gory as possible. Given that it’s a major studio release, don’t expect Hostel-style amounts of blood-letting. Yet The Wolfman is a tragic figure whose metamorphosis is painful and degrading, so to go for a more child-friendly version would have been ridiculous – and cowardly.

It has been a troubled production for this long-time-coming remake. Benicio Del Toro in his first proper horror flick was a wonderful prospect. Then we waited…and waited…and waited. Co-starring Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins and Hugo Weaving, the sense of expectation is growing daily. Will it be a gothic horror masterpiece or resemble a mutilated corpse? Find out when The Wolfman is released in cinemas early next year on a full moon (okay, maybe not).

Tags: Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, the Wolfman