When Marvel’s “Deadpool” was released in February 2016, the film was projected to gross about $55 million. The antihero superhero flick ended up grossing $132 million in its opening weekend, the most of any February release, and became the highest-grossing R-rated film by domestic box office of all time in six weeks.
An R-rating limits the audience of a film and can potentially be a drag on revenue. Teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 went to the movies an average of 6.1 times in 2016, the second highest attendance per capita of any age group. By restricting moviegoers younger than 17 from seeing a movie without the accompaniment of an adult, an R rating can significantly impede a film’s box office and profitability.
Before the final version of “Deadpool” was created, 20th Century Fox oscillated between a PG-13 and R rating. While industry analysts predicted the film’s R-rating and graphic violence would be an impediment on the film’s success, Fox’s bet paid off. When adjusted for inflation and overseas box office, a number of other R-rated films have achieved mainstream box office success around the world even greater than that of “Deadpool.”
To determine the most successful R-rated movies of all time, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the worldwide lifetime gross of all R-rated movies released in the U.S. with data from Box Office Mojo.
Click here to see the full list.
Click here to see the detailed findings and methodology.
50. Shakespeare in Love
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $548.4 million
> Budget: $39.0 million
> Year released: 1998
> R-rated for: Sexuality
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49. Total Recall
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $549.2 million
> Budget: $121.7 million
> Year released: 1990
> R-rated for: Strong sci-fi violence and gore, some intense images, strong language, sexuality and some nudity
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48. Jerry Maguire
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $550.3 million
> Budget: $78.0 million
> Year released: 1996
> R-rated for: Language and sexuality
47. Hannibal
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $552.4 million
> Budget: $120.3 million
> Year released: 2001
> R-rated for: Strong gruesome violence, some nudity and language
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46. The Hangover
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $554.1 million
> Budget: $39.9 million
> Year released: 2009
> R-rated for: Pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material
45. The Revenant
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $562.0 million
> Budget: $139.4 million
> Year released: 2015
> R-rated for: Strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity
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44. Blazing Saddles
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $568.6 million
> Budget: $12.9 million
> Year released: 1974
> R-rated for: Strong language including racial slurs, comic western violence, and for some sexual humor
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43. Indecent Proposal
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $572.5 million
> Budget: $64.4 million
> Year released: 1993
> R-rated for: Sexuality and language
42. The Silence of the Lambs
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $575.8 million
> Budget: $35.9 million
> Year released: 1991
> R-rated for: Adult situations and language
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41. The Firm
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $580.2 million
> Budget: $71.1 million
> Year released: 1993
> R-rated for: Language and some violence
40. American Sniper
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $589.0 million
> Budget: $60.0 million
> Year released: 2014
> R-rated for: Strong and disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual references
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39. 300
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $589.4 million
> Budget: $70.8 million
> Year released: 2007
> R-rated for: Graphic battle sequences throughout, some sexuality and nudity
38. American Beauty
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $600.8 million
> Budget: $22.0 million
> Year released: 1999
> R-rated for: Strong sexuality, language, violence and drug content
37. Fifty Shades of Grey
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $602.2 million
> Budget: $41.3 million
> Year released: 2015
> R-rated for: Strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and for language
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36. Air Force One
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $610.5 million
> Budget: $129.6 million
> Year released: 1997
> R-rated for: Violence
35. Ted
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $613.6 million
> Budget: $53.3 million
> Year released: 2012
> R-rated for: Crude and sexual content, pervasive language, and some drug use
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34. Logan
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $616.2 million
> Budget: $127.0 million
> Year released: 2017
> R-rated for: Strong brutal violence and language throughout, and for brief nudity
33. Ransom
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $622.5 million
> Budget: $109.2 million
> Year released: 1996
> R-rated for: Graphic bloody violence and strong language
32. Coming to America
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $624.7 million
> Budget: $80.7 million
> Year released: 1988
> R-rated for: Language and some sexuality/nudity
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31. The Matrix Revolutions
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $630.0 million
> Budget: $199.6 million
> Year released: 2003
> R-rated for: Sci-fi violence and brief sexual content
30. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $639.0 million
> Budget: $226.2 million
> Year released: 2003
> R-rated for: Strong sci-fi violence and action, and for language and brief nudity
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29. The Hangover Part II
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $657.8 million
> Budget: $87.1 million
> Year released: 2011
> R-rated for: Pervasive language, strong sexual content including graphic nudity, drug use and brief violent images
28. Se7en
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $668.9 million
> Budget: $48.2 million
> Year released: 1995
> R-rated for: Grisly afterviews of horrific and bizarre killings, and for strong language
27. The Last Samurai
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $673.3 million
> Budget: $186.3 million
> Year released: 2003
> R-rated for: Strong violence and battle sequences.
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26. The Rock
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $674.0 million
> Budget: $117.0 million
> Year released: 1996
> R-rated for: Strong violence, language and a sex scene
25. Beverly Hills Cop II
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $682.1 million
> Budget: $43.1 million
> Year released: 1987
> R-rated for: Strong violence, language, and brief nudity
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24. Lethal Weapon 3
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $689.1 million
> Budget: $61.1 million
> Year released: 1992
> R-rated for: Violence and language
23. Schindler’s List
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $689.9 million
> Budget: $42.4 million
> Year released: 1993
> R-rated for: Language, some sexuality and actuality violence
22. There’s Something About Mary
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $701.2 million
> Budget: $33.0 million
> Year released: 1998
> R-rated for: Strong comic sexual content and language
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21. Troy
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $712.1 million
> Budget: $194.4 million
> Year released: 2004
> R-rated for: Graphic violence and some sexuality/nudity
20. Fatal Attraction
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $727.8 million
> Budget: $30.2 million
> Year released: 1987
> R-rated for: Disturbing violent content, language, and strong sexuality/nudity
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19. Speed
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $745.2 million
> Budget: $49.6 million
> Year released: 1994
> R-rated for: Violence and language
18. Die Hard with a Vengeance
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $748.2 million
> Budget: $144.6 million
> Year released: 1995
> R-rated for: Strong violence and pervasive strong language
17. Rambo: First Blood Part II
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $752.3 million
> Budget: $100.1 million
> Year released: 1985
> R-rated for: N/A
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16. Gladiator
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $754.7 million
> Budget: $146.4 million
> Year released: 2000
> R-rated for: Intense, graphic combat
15. Basic Instinct
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $756.0 million
> Budget: $85.5 million
> Year released: 1992
> R-rated for: Strong violence and sensuality, and for drug use and language
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14. Rain Man
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $767.4 million
> Budget: $51.7 million
> Year released: 1988
> R-rated for: Language, and some sexuality and nudity
13. Deadpool
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $804.8 million
> Budget: $59.2 million
> Year released: 2016
> R-rated for: Strong violence and language throughout, sexual content and graphic nudity
12. True Lies
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $805.8 million
> Budget: $165.2 million
> Year released: 1994
> R-rated for: A lot of action/violence and some language
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11. The Matrix
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $811.1 million
> Budget: $95.5 million
> Year released: 1999
> R-rated for: Sci-fi violence and brief language
10. The Godfather
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $823.5 million
> Budget: $41.0 million
> Year released: 1972
> R-rated for: N/A
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9. Beverly Hills Cop
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $837.1 million
> Budget: $35.3 million
> Year released: 1984
> R-rated for: N/A
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8. The Passion of the Christ
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $875.9 million
> Budget: $32.4 million
> Year released: 2004
> R-rated for: Sequences of graphic violence
7. The Bodyguard
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $880.4 million
> Budget: $43.6 million
> Year released: 1992
> R-rated for: Language
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6. Saving Private Ryan
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $913.3 million
> Budget: $97.6 million
> Year released: 1998
> R-rated for: Intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence, and for language.
5. Saturday Night Fever
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $945.2 million
> Budget: $14.1 million
> Year released: 1977
> R-rated for: Strong language, sexuality/nudity and some drug content
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4. Pretty Woman
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $973.9 million
> Budget: $26.2 million
> Year released: 1990
> R-rated for: Sexuality and some language
3. The Matrix Reloaded
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $1.1 billion
> Budget: $199.6 million
> Year released: 2003
> R-rated for: Sci-fi violence and some sexuality
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $1.1 billion
> Budget: $179.7 million
> Year released: 1991
> R-rated for: Strong sci-fi action and violence, and for language
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1. The Exorcist
> Worldwide lifetime gross: $2.0 billion
> Budget: $66.2 million
> Year released: 1973
> R-rated for: Strong language and disturbing images
The modern film rating system in the United States was established in 1968, when the Motion Picture Association of America devised the ratings of G, M, R, and X – which would later evolve into G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17. As a result, this list excludes all movies made prior to 1968.
The correlation between a film’s rating and box office success is not entirely clear. In 2008, a Nielsen study found that 34% of all R-rated dramas and 17% of all R-rated comedies released between September 2005 and December 2007 would have performed better at the box office with a PG-13 rating. R-rated movies differ by a number of other factors that explain the difference in ticket sales, however.
A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Economics and Finance found that R-rated films released from 2000 to 2014 with a box office revenue of at least $1 million were three times as likely to be a horror film than movies without an R-rating. These films were also 10 times less likely to be animated. While R-rated movies released over the period grossed an average of $36.8 million – compared to $70.0 million for films without an R-rating – the average budget for an R-rated film was roughly half that of movies without R-ratings.
Some of the most successful R-rated films made a bulk of their box office gross overseas. Six of the 50 most successful R-rated films – “The Last Samurai,” “Troy,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” “Fifty Shades of Grey,” “The Bodyguard,” and “Schindler’s List” – earned more than 70% of their revenue in international markets. “The Last Samurai,” which is set in 19th century Japan and features a number of popular Japanese actors, grossed more than 75.7% of its total box office overseas.
Action films are also much more likely to perform well overseas and comprise more than half of the 50 most successful R-rated films. Excluding international ticket sales, more comedies and horror films are among the most successful R-rated films by domestic box office. Only one film on the list, “Blazing Saddles”, did not receive an international theatrical release.
To determine the most successful R-rated movies of all time, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the worldwide lifetime gross of all R-rated movies released in the United States with data from Box Office Mojo. Worldwide box office figures were adjusted for inflation using historical average annual ticket prices, also from Box Office Mojo. For films with multiple releases or non-consecutive foreign releases that take place in a later year than the film’s original release, box office figures were adjusted accordingly. Data on production budgets came from film industry research service The Numbers, Box Office Mojo, and other sources, and were adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The reason for a film’s R rating came from the Classification & Ratings Administration, a division of the Motion Picture Association. In cases where the MPAA’s reason for an R rating was unavailable – films released in theaters prior to 1992 – the suggested reasons for an R rating were used from parental guides on IMDb.
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