When I found out Red, White & Royal Blue was rated R, I can’t say I was shocked. If the film were to show every sex scene and incorporate the language from the book, this rating would track. It’s a fairly spicy romance novel about the First Son of the United States and the Prince of England. To put all those scenes on screen would likely make it a shoo-in for the more mature rating – much like how Bridgerton is rated TV-MA. However, the director Matthew López explained that he was trying to get a PG-13 rating, and was shocked when it got an R. Knowing this, and hearing his question about how the film’s queerness may have impacted its rating, I understand his confusion.
The MPAA rated this film R because of “some sexual content, partial nudity and language,” via People. López explained that he was going to go for PG-13 in an effort to make the book-to-screen adaptation as “accessible” as possible. He said he “wouldn't step a toe over the line” when it came to language, and said there is no violence. In terms of the romance in the story the director explained that he would “do what I felt was right for the story when it came to the sexuality.” The movie ended up with the mature rating from the MPAA, which surprised López. He said:
