Are G Rated Movies a Thing of the Past?

When I was a kid, it seemed like there were a lot more G rated movies appropriate for all ages in theaters. In 2015, G and even PG movies are hard to come by. I did some digging to find out if this is just all in my head. 

In 1968 the Motion Picture Association of America developed a rating system using letters to help movie goers understand what they were in for when they went to see a particular movie. Originally the ratings were:

• Rated G: General audiences
• Rated M: Mature audiences – parental guidance advised
• Rated R: Restricted – admission limited to persons older than 16, unless accompanied by parent or adult guardian.
• Rated X: No one younger than 16 admitted

It was a valuable tool for parents to know if a movie was appropriate for their children. The rating system has evolved over the years. M became PG in 1972, PG-13 was added in 1982 after outrage over a graphic scene in the PG rated Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, X was replaced with NC-17 because it was typically associated with pornographic movies.

This is what the rating system looks like today:

• Rated G: General audiences – all ages admitted
• Rated PG: Parental guidance suggested – some material may not be suitable for children
• Rated PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned – some material may be inappropriate for children under 13
• Rated R: Restricted – under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
• Rated NC-17: No one 17 and under admitted

Star Wars - The Force Awakens just received its rating of PG-13, only the second movie of the seven so far in the series to get a PG-13. To be fair, two movies got their ratings before PG-13 was introduced and Return of the Jedi was released when the MPAA was still figuring out how its new PG-13 should be applied.

PG-13 seems to be the sweet spot for Hollywood. According to Box Office Mojo, 111 movies have been released so far in 2015 making a collective $4.3 billion. Compare that with rated R movies with 186 releases for a total of $2.1 billion. 60% more rated R movies but almost half the profit.

Now this is where it seems to get crazy. Only 41 PG movies were released for a total of $2 Billion. What movies are rated PG? Inside Out, Minions, Cinderella, Hotel Transylvania, The SpongeBob Movie, and Paddington. That's right, Paddington! The cute little bear in the coat and hat!

How can this not be rated G?

This is where it seemed my theory was right. How many G rated movies were released in 2015? Three. Only 3. Peanuts, Monkey Kingdom, and A LEGO Brickumentary. Peanuts is the only one that did well with $107 million of the $123 million these three movies made. That said, $107 million isn't a success for most movie studios.

Was my believing there are less G rated movies today true? Yes, but not really. 30 years ago in 1985 there were just 9 G rated movies, combining for a total of $115 million which is $254 million adjusted for inflation. So yes, there are less movies, but G was always the rating with the least amount of releases.

I guess what it comes down to is movie studios go where the money is, and that's PG-13. PG has become the new G, PG-13 is the new PG and if you're lucky, you'll get a G rated movie once a year. Hold onto those G rated classics in your library. They just don't make them like they used to.