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Saltburn: Emerald Fennell's upcoming movie is not for kids

Fennell's upcoming class thriller, which stars Barry Keoghan, may be about a family, but that doesn't mean it's a family movie

Image credit: MGM

Emerald Fennell has worked on such projects as Killing Eve, Promising Young Woman, and The Crown, so it might not shock you that her upcoming thriller, Saltburn, is not aimed at younger viewers. But just who is the Barry Koeghan-starrring, Margot Robbie produced gothic tale aimed at? And for that matter, who might want to avoid it?

We got into all of these questions are we were putting together a Saltburn rating guide for your reading leisure and viewing consideration. Check it out below.

Is Saltburn Rated R?

Yes. The Motion Picture Association of America has deemed the latest film to feature Killing of a Sacred Deer and Banshees of Inisherin star Barry Keoghan to be an adults-only affair. As you might have read in Popverse's piece on what MPAA ratings for TV and film mean, an R-rating is officially means that a filmgoer "under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian." But what would earn Saltburn the label?

Why is Saltburn Rated R?

Fortunately for anyone wary of some R-rated content but not all of it, the rating given to Saltburn comes with specifics. Those are, to quote the trailer, "strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language throughout, some disturbing violent content, and drug use."

Perhaps it's not the film for a post-Thanksgiving outing with the kids.

Saltburn comes to select theaters in the United States on November 17, and to the rest of the country on November 22. Buy tickets on Fandango or Atom Tickets.


Speaking of popular thrillers, have you read Jim McDermott's praise of Netflix's Bodies? If not, check it out.