James Gunn‘s tenure as head of the DCU has fans excited for the future of DC movies. Gunn has recently confirmed that there will be R-rated DC movies, something which is perfect for the future of DC’s films. DC Comics has been a trailblazer when it comes to mature comics, and there are multiple stories from the publisher that would make for great R-rated movies. DC pioneered mature mainstream comics in the 1980s, and there are plenty of great stories, both set in the DC Universe and beyond, that would benefit from R-rated adaptations in the DCU. DC fans have always wanted to see these tales, warts and all, on the big screen.
Camelot 3000 Is a Futuristic Take on the King Arthur Mythos
King Arthur is one of the most well-known mythical characters in the English-speaking world. There have been numerous tales starring England’s legendary king, but few of them have taken him and his knights to the future. Camelot 3000, by Mike W. Barr, Brian Bolland, Bruce D. Patterson, Tatjana Wood, and John Constanza, takes the myths to the year 3000. Earth is under attack by aliens and Arthur and his knights awaken, as does their foe Morgana Le Fay. What follows is a tale of war and legends, perfect for an R-rated epic or two.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Grant Morrison’s Legendary Animal Run Has Multiple Stories That Would Make Amazing R-Rated Films
Grant Morrison’s legendary Animal Man run is one of the gems of late ’80s DC. The publisher’s British Invasion brought creators across the pond for more mature takes on DC’s heroes. Morrison re-established Animal Man, remaking his origins and taking readers on a hallucinogenic meta epic with artists Chas Troug and Tom Grummet. Morrison’s Animal Man has several tales that would make for great R-rated films. The first four issues have a lot of body horror and violence, the fifth issue shows cartoon violence in realistic terms, and the fifteenth issue shows Animal Man and Dolphin trying to save a pod of dolphins from a brutal tradition. All of these stories would make for excellent R-rated movies.
Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye Takes Readers on a Trip Through The Earth
The Young Animal imprint was curated by My Chemical Romance frontman and presented readers with multiple titles that modernized old DC concepts while introducing new ones. The line was headed by Doom Patrol, a venerable DC mature-readers title, but one of the biggest surprises of the imprint was Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye. Cave Carson was a DC sci-fi character who traveled the depths of the Earth and this book took that premise and ran wild with it. Full of violence and profanity, the twelve-issue series also built a tragic history for Cave and his family. No one would expect it as a movie, which would make it all the better, showing off just how varied the DC Multiverse can be.
Batman: Three Jokers Showed Readers the Most Violent Sides of Batman’s War
Batman isn’t a part of the DCU, but it’s only a matter time. Where Batman goes, the Joker is sure to follow and there are some Batman/Joker stories that would make for excellent R-rated movies. Batman: Three Jokers, by Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh, wasn’t overly loved by the Batman fandom when it was released under DC’s Black Label, but it’s found an audience in recent years. Revealing secrets about the Joker that no one ever guessed, it pits Batman and his partners that Joker hurt the worst – Batgirl and Jason Todd – as they deal with the Joker’s latest attack, as well as their own relationship with the Clown Prince Of Crime. Batman: Three Jokers is tailor-made for the harder-edged DCU.
Planetary Took Readers Across the World for Superhero-Based Archeology
Warren Ellis and John Cassaday’s Planetary is among the greatest comics in the history of the comic medium. The twenty-seven issue series followed Elijah Snow, Jakita Wagner, and the Drummer, the field team for the Planetary organization, searching the world for the secrets of the past. Standing against them are the Four, a group of evil super-scientists who have their plans for the world. Planetary didn’t skimp on the violence or the adult situations, but made it so brilliant was the depth of imagination of the story. An entire series of movies could be made from the book, following the team on their often bloody adventures.
Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing Run Set a New Standard for Comic Horror
Alan Moore’s time at DC saw the publisher embrace a more mature storytelling style, one that would pay dividends in the future. Moore got his start on Swamp Thing, bringing back DC’s horror comics for the first time since the end of anthologies like House Of Secrets and House Of Mysteries. Moore’s run, working with artists Steve Bissette, Jon Totleben, Rick Veitch, and many more, changed Swamp Thing and DC forever. Swamp Thing has had several movies and TV shows, but few of them have gone as dark as Moore’s run did. There are a lot of stories that could make for amazing R-rated horror movies, cementing the DCU as a place for all kinds of superhero tales.
Vigilante #17-18 Is One of Alan Moore’s Most Brutal Tales
Vigilante is popular in the DCU, but he is also very different from the comic version of Adrian Chase. However, they both share a tendency towards righting wrongs with the most lethal force. That would allow the DCU to adapt the best Vigilante story of them all – “Father’s Day” from Vigilante #17-18, by Alan Moore, Jim Baikie, Tatjana Wood, and Annie Halfacree. The story follows Vigilante as he protects a girl prostitute from the girl’s extremely abusive father. The story is as dark and violent as they come and would make for the perfect star vehicle for Vigilante outside of Peacemaker.
Aquaman: Andromeda Is Cosmic Horror at Its Finest
Aquaman is a cornerstone of the DC Multiverse, so despite the failure of his second DCEU movie, he’s certain to make an appearance in the DCU. However, a new way of looking at the character might be exactly what’s needed to get fans back to the cinema. Aquaman: Andromeda, by Ram V, Christian Ward, and Aditya Bidikar, revolves around a deep sea mission to find something that fell to Earth, as Aquaman and Black Manta both are on the lookout for it. Cosmic horror hasn’t gotten a lot of play at the movie theater in recent years, but Aquaman is the perfect vehicle to bring it back.
Batman: The Killing Joke Could Use a True Adaptation
Batman: The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, John Higgins, and Richard Starkings, is a legendary tale. It has been adapted once as an animated movie, but that movie made changes to the story that not all fans of the comic enjoyed. That’s why the book needs an R-rated true adaptation of the comic. Batman: The Killing Joke is counted among the greatest Batman stories of all time. Fans, both new and old, need to see it as it was originally written. Batman and the Joker are the most well-known enemies in comics and an adaptation done right would be a hit for everyone.
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons Tells the Story of Wonder Woman’s People
Wonder Woman has a bright future ahead of her. Her current ongoing series is a hit and she has her first video game coming. Wonder Woman is definitely coming to the DCU, and where she goes, the Amazons follow. The Amazons have an amazing history, and DC’s Black Label told their story in the best possible way with Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons, by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, Nicola Scott, Annette Kwok, Wesley Wong, Hi-Fi Design, Romulo Fakardo Jr., Arif Prianto, and Clayton Cowles. The story takes the feminist leanings of Wonder Woman and applies them to the Greek mythological history of the Amazons. Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons is quite a tale and an R-rated DCU movie would do it justice.
