Ever wondered about the R-rated secrets hidden within your favorite Marvel movies? While the MCU is known for its family-friendly superhero action, many deleted scenes and concepts could have pushed these beloved blockbusters into mature territory, much to the surprise of audiences.
It’s a wild thought, right? Marvel for ages 18 and up? While projects like “Deadpool” and “Logan” have already embraced the R-rating, the core MCU films have always kept things strictly PG-13. That’s actually changing in the future, with the third “Deadpool” movie slated to formally join the MCU fold, and its creatives promising it will retain the adults-only reputation of the first two films. This development makes us wonder: what other mature moments were almost unleashed upon us earlier on?
Filmmakers explored pushing boundaries with explicit humor and intense violence, even if these moments were ultimately cut. Get ready, True Believers, as we uncover some of the most shocking omissions from MCU history that reveal a darker, more adult side the heroes almost showed us, challenging Marvel’s wholesome image.
1.*Agent Coulson’s Gruesome Death in ‘The Avengers’**Agent Phil Coulson, though a secondary character, was a hugely important presence in the early MCU. His tragic death at the hands of Loki in “The Avengers” was a pivotal moment, serving as the ultimate motivation to unite the disparate heroes and truly form the Avengers. It was impactful as is, but early versions of the scene were actually far more gruesome than what made it to the big screen.
During Loki’s escape from the Helicarrier, he stabs Coulson from behind with his scepter. In the theatrical release, the scepter goes in, and we see Coulson fall. However, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige himself confirmed to Movies.com that the original concept was much more explicit. He stated, “Well, whenever you impale somebody from their back and the blade comes out their chest, there are issues.”
Indeed, to avoid an R-rating, filmmakers had to significantly tone down this crucial death scene. This meant removing the visual of the scepter’s blade poking all the way through Coulson’s chest and reducing the overall gore. It’s fas
2. **Spider-Man’s ‘I Want to See the Holes’ Line in ‘No Way Home’**Seeing all three live-action versions of Spider-Man – Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire – team up in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was an absolute dream come true for fans. While the film delivered countless thrilling action sequences, one of the most cherished moments comes just before the final battle, as the three Peter Parkers share a quiet chat about their lives, their surprising similarities, and their unique differences. It’s during this conversation that they discover Tobey’s Peter can naturally shoot webs from his wrists, unlike Tom and Andrew’s Peters who rely on devices in their suits.
It turns out, there was a bit more to this fascinating exchange that initially hit the cutting room floor. When Sony re-released the movie in September 2022 as the “More Fun Stuff” edition, fans were treated to a rather suggestive punchline that was previously trimmed. Andrew’s Peter, absolutely awestruck by the concept of organic webs, keeps asking Tobey’s Peter more questions about his unique ability.
Amidst his fascination, Andrew’s Peter quietly, almost breathlessly, utters the line, “I want to see the holes.” While undeniably hilarious in its delivery and context, this line carries a very distinct adult entendre. It’s definitely more suggestive than anything else that made it into the original theatrical release, highlighting how a seemingly innocent curiosity can quickly veer into R-rated territory with just a few carefully chosen words.
3. **Nebula’s Graphic Threat to Quill in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’**When it comes to crude humor, the Guardians of the Galaxy often operate on a slightly different wavelength compared to the rest of the MCU. Throughout their films, Peter Quill makes jokes about his ship needing a blacklight, Drax openly discusses his “netherregions” being “engorged,” and Ego, ever so subtly, explains his godly existence by mentioning he’s “anatomically correct.” This thread of boundary-pushing jokes even extends to “Avengers: Infinity War,” where Quill taunts Thanos about the villain’s “n**sack of a chin.”
However, a deleted dialogue sequence from “Infinity War” would have continued the Guardians’ tradition of crotch-related humor in a far more graphic way than what made the final cut. This particular scene, found in the film’s extras (and even on Disney+), features Nebula sending an urgent message to the rest of the Guardians about Gamora’s predicament. But it’s her parting words that really stand out.
Nebula concludes her correspondence by saying, “Tell Quill not to lose my sister a second time, or I will sew his face to his genitals.” The line is then recited aloud by Mantis, who is reading Nebula’s message from a screen, making the comical threat even more memorable. Despite the other edgy lines that were included, this one was clearly deemed a bit too graphic for the PG-13 rating. Case in point: when Disney posted the scene to promote the home video release, they ended the clip just before this wonderfully outrageous line.
4. **Tony Stark’s Wild Party Scene in ‘Iron Man’**Tony Stark, especially in his earlier appearances in the MCU, isn’t exactly presented as a paragon of moral virtue. His wild, playboy side is frequently implied, often conveyed through subtle hints and the consequences of his actions rather than explicit depictions. However, a scene deleted from the very first “Iron Man” film would have left absolutely nothing to the imagination, showing a much more scandalous side of our favorite genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.
In this excised sequence, Tony is throwing a lavish party in Dubai, surrounded by all the trappings of his extravagant lifestyle. He’s seen flirting with two women dressed in bikinis, engaging in a suggestive game. “I’m picking a number between one and five,” he tells them. When they choose three, he replies, “Exactly.” He then walks away with his arms around both of them, the implication of an imminent hookup being rather clear.
Adding to the scandal, a later scene involved Tony Stark entering a bedroom with two girls after picking up a third, only to be interrupted by a call, leading to a ‘kinky’ farewell that pushed boundaries far beyond typical Marvel innuendo, suggesting early MCU creators tested the tonal limits.
5. **Ego’s ‘Suggestive Statue’ in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’**Peter Quill’s almighty father, Ego, is a being of immense power, and he certainly has a flair for the dramatic, even when creating a simple memorial. In a deleted moment from “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Ego constructs a “memorial to the war on Xandar.” This statue is intended to honor the climactic event of the previous film, where the entire Guardians crew valiantly saved the planet Xandar from Ronan’s attack. However, being Ego, he seems to have gotten some crucial details amusingly wrong, perhaps embellishing things to specifically stroke Quill’s own ego.
Some of the statue’s incorrect visuals are played for comedic effect, adding a lighthearted touch to the scene. Drax is depicted as a tiny, monkey-like creature perched on Quill’s shoulder, while either Rocket or Groot (it’s a bit hard to tell which) appears as a cloud-shaped figure hovering over Quill’s lap. These elements lean into the established humor of the Guardians franchise, offering a chuckle at Ego’s self-serving artistic liberties.
Beyond explicit content, a deleted scene featuring statues of Star-Lord and Gamora took a surprisingly sensual turn. Gamora was depicted kneeling as Quill stood, with her hand suggestively stroking his inner thigh, a visually mature moment that added an unexpected layer to a humorous sequence.
6.In an early ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ concept, a hammerless Thor, accompanied by Rocket and Groot, embarked on a perilous quest for a new weapon, Stormbreaker, with the formidable Eitri. However, the path to obtaining this legendary weapon was initially envisioned as significantly darker and more terrifying.
According to ‘The Art of Avengers: Endgame,’ one abandoned idea for Thor, Rocket, and Groot’s journey involved Stormbreaker not being forged but discovered, lodged ominously within the skull of a deceased World Serpent, presenting a truly macabre and epic visual.
Rodney Fuentebella, a senior visual development artist, elaborated on this concept, stating, “We wanted to create something that was interesting and different but still feel like you could tell that it’s buried in something.” He then revealed the truly R-rated potential: “There was also an idea of how after they got Stormbreaker, as they were escaping, the children of the World Serpent would attack them, and they would have to fight their way out.” The thought of vicious monster children, potentially animated from countless skulls on the ground, attacking our heroes would have pushed the scene’s intensity and maturity far beyond a PG-13 rating.
7. **Loki’s ‘Crazy Mischief’ Plot Point in the ‘Loki’ Series**For the most part, Loki’s romantic life has remained largely off-screen throughout his MCU appearances. The audience only truly sees the God of Mischief develop a love interest with Sylvie in his self-titled Disney+ series, “Loki.” While he does tell Sylvie he’s pursued other relationships in the past, the audience is never actually privy to these supposed exploits. However, during the early development stages of the “Loki” series, writers had much grander plans to showcase this more intimate side of the character.
A fascinating glimpse into these early concepts comes from a photograph of head writer Michael Waldron, posing in front of a whiteboard filled with the team’s initial ideas for the show’s first season. Among the various plot points mapped out on the board, one particular detail stands out: the writers had plans for Loki to be “doing crazy mischief,” a rather euphemistic way of referring to physical intimacy.
Whoa! That revelation would have certainly come out of left field in the completed show, radically altering perceptions of Loki’s character and the series’ overall tone. (New Rockstars on YouTube notably spotted this detail in a paused moment from the “Marvel Studios: Assembled” docuseries episode focused on “Loki.”) While anything is possible during the writing stage of a project, and the extent to which these romantic exploits were fully developed remains unknown, it’s clear the team considered pushing Loki’s boundaries in a very adult direction, had they followed through with this particular brand of “mischief.”
Alright, True Believers, if you thought the first batch of almost-R-rated moments was wild, buckle up! We’re diving even deeper into the multiverse of madness — and a whole lot of deleted brutality — from later MCU films and conceptual designs. These are the scenes that would have turned up the gore, amplified the horror, and genuinely challenged the definition of ‘superhero action.’ Prepare yourselves, because things are about to get intense.
8. **Rhodey’s Apparent Demise in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’**Remember that epic fight in Edinburgh during “Avengers: Infinity War,” where Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, and Vision duked it out with the Black Order? It was an intense sequence, but according to designer Phil Saunders in “The Art of Avengers: Endgame,” War Machine (James Rhodes) was initially slated to be right in the thick of it. And his potential role? Far more gruesome than what we actually saw.
In a chilling alternate scenario for ‘Infinity War,’ the Black Order wouldn’t merely disable Rhodey’s suit; they would have sliced it in half, a shocking moment designed to make the audience believe War Machine had met a brutal end, creating immense audience despair.
However, the scene had a clever, albeit slightly recycled, twist: the camera would then cut to Rhodey, completely unharmed and remote-piloting the armor from a safe distance. While a brilliant fake-out, the sheer visual of a hero’s suit being torn asunder, even if he was safe, was likely deemed too violent. Saunders also noted the idea was a bit of a repeat from “Iron Man 3” and raised questions about why heroes would ever get into a suit if they could just pilot it remotely. Still, it proves filmmakers weren’t afraid to push for truly graphic moments!
9. **Scarlet Witch’s Brutal Kamar-Taj Rampage in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’**”Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” pushed the envelope for the MCU, arguably becoming its most violent film to date. Director Sam Raimi infused it with macabre visuals and a touch of the occult, getting pretty darn close to full-on horror. But believe it or not, early concepts and deleted sequences suggest it could have gone even further, making the theatrical release look tame by comparison.
The film’s fight coordinator, Liang Yang, actually shared rehearsal footage from unused choreography on Instagram, giving fans a glimpse into the truly brutal vision for Scarlet Witch’s battle at Kamar-Taj. The clip depicted Wanda Maximoff not just overpowering Doctor Strange’s warriors, but unleashing a horrifying display of power: snapping necks, bending bones, and splattering blood in a manner far more graphic and visceral than anything that made it into the final cut.
This alternate version of the Kamar-Taj battle would have undeniably tipped “Multiverse of Madness” squarely into R-rated territory. The sheer brutality and explicit nature of Wanda’s attacks, showing her fully embracing her villainous side with such visceral detail, was almost certainly grounds for its removal. It’s a stark reminder of the fine line Marvel walks between thrilling action and family-friendly content.
10. **Adam Warlock’s Explicit Rant in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’**James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” series has always felt a bit more mature than other corners of the MCU, often pushing the envelope with its humor and heart. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” continued this trend, featuring some truly bloody, heart-wrenching deaths, plenty of violence, and even the MCU’s first spoken F-word! Yet, even with all of that, some scenes were still deemed too much to keep the film from an R-rating.
One of the most eye-raising omissions involved the highly anticipated Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter, and his mother Ayesha. In a deleted dialogue sequence, Adam Warlock lets out an angry tirade about the Guardians of the Galaxy that would have left audiences absolutely stunned. His words were not just violent, but shockingly explicit and disturbing.
Warlock declared, “Do not fret mother, I will kill all your enemies for you… I will. I will stomp on their skulls. I’m going to mush their brains between my fingers. I’m going to [expletive] on their bodies and make love to their carcasses.” Talk about going from zero to R-rated in a single sentence! While it’s unclear where exactly this scene would have taken place, its removal was almost certainly an appeasement to the MPA’s ratings board, ensuring the film could maintain its PG-13 status despite its already edgy content.
11. **The Unseen Brutality of Moon Knight’s Jackal Fight**The MCU’s television series on Disney+ might seem like a natural home for more adult content, given they aren’t subject to traditional TV network broadcasts or MPAA ratings. However, Disney has largely kept these shows family-friendly, at least for now. This approach is strikingly evident in “Moon Knight,” a series that initially teased some of the MCU’s most violent and bloodiest fights to date.
In the very first episode, when Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) battles one of Arthur Harrow’s jackals and transforms into Moon Knight for the first time, viewers are denied the full spectacle. Just as the action truly escalates and Moon Knight begins his brutal work, the camera frustratingly pans away to a hallway. This leaves the most intense parts of the fight to the audience’s imagination, a disappointing anti-climax for those expecting a visceral display of Moon Knight’s combat prowess.
However, leaked footage of the choreographed fight rehearsals revealed just how brutal and bloody that slugfest was *intended* to be. The rehearsal clips showcased a vicious, no-holds-barred confrontation that would have been far too violent for Disney’s intended family audience on Disney+. It’s a clear example of the conscious decision to censor intense action sequences to maintain a PG-like atmosphere, even for a character known for his gritty, violent comic book roots.
From brutal violence and graphic deaths to explicit interactions and shocking fates, the MCU’s history is filled with almost-R-rated moments that offer a tantalizing glimpse into what could have been. While we cherish our family-friendly heroes, imagining these scenes makes us wonder how different these films might have been, perhaps paving the way for future darker portrayals.
