Why Mile 22 Needed To Be A Hard R, According To Mark Wahlberg
Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg are teaming up for their fourth collaborating since Lone Survivor this weekend when Mile 22 debuts in theaters. The action thriller (their first original story together) looks like one of the more intense films of the summer, and that was apparently very much by design. In fact, I recently sat down with Wahlberg to ask him about Mile 22's hard R rating, and he explained that it was necessary to capture the intensity of these characters and the jobs that they do. Wahlberg said:
Some things just can't be done on a PG-13 rating. As Mark Wahlberg explained in our chat, this movie is based on the experiences of real-life special forces and intelligence officers, which means the hard R rating was required to showcase how they handle themselves in the field. That means bloody violence and some less than savory language.
Another interesting thing to note about Mark Wahlberg's remark about the hard-R rating of Mile 22 is the fact that Jimmy Silva was apparently supposed to be a secondary antagonist, rather than the full-blown hero of the story. Not only would this have positioned him in a far different manner than in his roles in Peter Berg films like Patriots Day and Deepwater Horizon, but it also would've changed the focus. It's impossible to know what that version of the film would've looked like, but one may assume that The Walking Dead's Lauren Cohan and The Fate of the Furious' Ronda Rousey may have had different rules in that take on the tale.
For those of you who are looking for a closer glimpse at my chat with Mark Wahlberg about Mile 22, you can check out a clip of the interview, below!
If Mark Wahlberg's particularly brand of non-stop action is your forte, then make sure to catch Mile 22 when it debuts in theaters this weekend on August 17. Keep it here for more updates related to the film, and head over to our movie premiere guide to learn more about the rest of the films that are set to hit theaters this year!
CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Originally from Connecticut, Conner grew up in San Diego and graduated from Chapman University in 2014. He now lives in Los Angeles working in and around the entertainment industry and can mostly be found binging horror movies and chugging coffee.