Hathaway Calls for R Rating for Films With Dog Deaths

Anne Hathaway has called for films that depict the death of a dog to automatically receive an R rating, arguing that such scenes cause significant emotional distress to audiences. The actress made the comments during a recent interview while promoting her new science-fiction survival film, The End of Oak Street.

Hathaway stated that the presence of a canine death should trigger a stricter rating, regardless of other content like violence or profanity. "I feel like movies that kill dogs should automatically be rated R," she said. "It doesn't matter if anybody curses. It doesn't matter if there's violence. If a dog dies, R-rated." An R rating in the United States generally requires viewers under 17 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The actress suggested that widespread audience anxiety about such scenes stems from the 2014 film John Wick, which begins with the killing of the protagonist's puppy. "I think everybody's so traumatized by John Wick," Hathaway explained. She noted that fans now frequently express concern before seeing films, saying, "They better not kill the dog." Hathaway added that she was surprised by how common this fear had become, questioning, "Which...