August will be here before we know it, and with it comes the release of Warner Bros. and DC's The Suicide Squad. Now, it appears director James Gunn is filming material for theaters to screen as part of the promotional campaign for The Suicide Squad, and one chain from Canada apparently wanted the filmmaker to use colorful language to build up hype for the film.
In the months or weeks ahead of a film's release, theater chains often screen promotional material for upcoming movies ahead of whatever might be playing at the time in order to remind audiences that they need to return to cinemas when the new projects in question finally premiere. While trailers serve the same purpose, these promotional bits often involve the cast and crew of an upcoming release addressing the audience directly and trying to convince them that the theatrical experience is the best way to watch their new film.
Now, Gunn has taken to his official Instagram account to share a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the theater bits he's filming to promote The Suicide Squad. As Gunn explains in the caption for the video, he's filming footage for theater chains from around the world, and each one has specific requests. It appears that in order to convince audiences to watch The Suicide Squad on the largest screen possible, a theater chain in Canada specifically asked Gunn to use foul language to help make the case. "We can't wait for you to experience The Suicide Squad the way it was meant to be seen, on a screen so big it will make your f****ing eyeballs explode with joy," Gunn says in the video.
While the Canadian theater chain in question was not named by Gunn, one could reasonably assume that the footage he is filming will be shown in front of films with a more mature rating. This would be understandable considering The Suicide Squad will be rated R in the United States, but the film ratings in Canada have been criticized for being too lenient compared to the system used by the nation's neighbor to the south. For instance, Fox's Deadpool was rated 18A in Ontario and Manitoba but received a milder 13+ rating in Quebec and the 14A classification in the rest of Canada, none of which prohibited a minor from viewing the film as long they were accompanied by an adult. So it's anyone's guess as to which film Canadian moviegoers should go see if they want to watch Gunn's profanity-laced promotion for The Suicide Squad.
What's not in question is whether or not The Suicide Squad will shy away from vulgar humor and gory deaths. Of course, this is hardly surprising since Gunn has previously noted that Warner Bros. gave him a great amount of creative control over The Suicide Squad and that all parties agreed an R rating was the best course of action for the project.
Films receive R ratings for a host of reasons and it seems like The Suicide Squad checks off all the boxes as far as U.S. standards go. Whether or not the folks responsible for rating films in Canada will feel the same way will likely depend on the province.
The Suicide Squad will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6, 2021.
Source: James Gunn/Instagram