The entertainment world has shifted, with movies and TV shows evolving over the years. And even something as seemingly simple as ratings has gone through changes. While the NC-17 rating, which replaced the previous X rating, has remained in place, there have not been many films carrying the rating in recent years.

One of the last major Hollywood films to receive an NC-17 rating was Netflix’s Blonde. Now, Zack Snyder is not fond of this rarity and explained that there may be some stigma surrounding the rating. He urged that Hollywood should embrace the rating again and bring a hit NC-17 film to the big screen.

And he seemingly has a good reason for believing that the industry should make the shift.

Zack Snyder recently sat down for an interview with Variety, and during the conversation, the director was asked about the noticeable presence of s** scenes in TV shows compared with films. Snyder acknowledged the pattern and pointed to the stigma surrounding such content. He explained that while the rise of R-rated movies has helped break down some of the stigma around that rating, the same approach could potentially be applied to NC-17 movies.  

"S** in movies is weirdly gone. I don’t understand it... Eroticism in movies has somehow been stomped out, and I don’t understand it," he said.

"The same thing that happened with the R-rated movie. So, R-rated movies now have lost their stigma — 'The Odyssey,' 'Obsession,' whatever it is. Now, we need an NC-17 movie that’s a hit. If we had an erotic thriller that was NC-17 and it was in IMAX and everyone had to just go do it, maybe that would lift the stigma," he further added. 

Snyder became nostalgic during the interview while discussing the pattern and recalled growing up watching films such as Body Heat and 9½ Weeks. There are also seemingly commercial risks associated with an NC-17 rating. Many films are edited down to secure an R rating so they can avoid potential restrictions and reach a wider theatrical audience. An NC-17 rating means moviegoers who are 17 or younger cannot be admitted to the theater, even with parental guidance.

“I’m Very Adamant”: Zack Snyder Sets His Own Rules for AI in Filmmaking

Snyder, who recently directed The Last Photograph, himself experienced this issue with one of his films, which initially received an NC-17 rating before being edited to secure an R rating.

Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon Director’s Cuts were initially rated NC-17 due to scenes that were considered excessively gory and violent. Snyder was satisfied with the rating and explained that some of the scenes involving Ed Skrein’s Admiral Noble contributed to the classification. However, in an interview with CinemaBlend, the director revealed that he ultimately had to turn the film into an R-rated cut.

And this was because he had already promised Netflix that he would give them an R-rated movie. That commitment led to several changes in the movie’s Director’s Cut. Had it not been for that promise, Rebel Moon Director’s Cuts would have been Snyder’s first NC-17-rated film.

Kevin Feige Is Reportedly "Interested" in Zack Snyder, and Marvel Fans Are Already Losing It Over the News

What do you think about Zack Snyder's opinion on NC-17 movies? Let us know in the comments.