Anne Hathaway has some thoughts that are likely to make most dog lovers say, “Amen!”
The actor, who stars in the sci-fi thriller “The End Of Oak Street,” told Complex in an Aug. 13 clip that films that kill off dogs should “automatically be rated R.”
“Doesn’t matter if anybody curses. It doesn’t matter if there’s violence,” Hathaway told the outlet. “If a dog dies — R-rated.”
The film, which was released in theaters Aug. 14, revolves around the Platt family, who are thrown into chaos after a cosmic event transports them into prehistoric times. Hathaway, who plays matriarch Denise Platt, assured viewers that the family dog in the film, Starbuck, does not die as many had feared. And no, the movie isn’t rated-R — it is in fact a PG-13 flick.
“We break rules in this movie,” Hathaway told Complex. “That might not be one of them.”
Hathaway said she’s seen the concern from fans for Starbuck. And she suspects that the fears around his potential death have to do with movies that have “traumatized” viewers like the 2014 film “John Wick,” during which a beloved beagle named Daisy meets a horrible end amid a home invasion.
“I think everybody’s so traumatized by ‘John Wick’ because I’ve been seeing those too,” Hathaway said of the concern for Starbuck. “Like, ‘They better not kill the dog!’ I’m like, which movies are out there killing dogs that everybody is so scared that they’re just casually doing it in movies now?”
Currently, movies can fall under an R-rating if they include violence that is graphic in nature. This includes those that show varying amounts of blood or gore, torture and more. Injuries are usually evident as well. PG-13 films, on the other hand, can include violence that has some realistic qualities. However, the violence “will not be both realistic and pervasive or extreme.” The ratings do not specify the types of victims of the acts of violence.
Dog lovers seemed to agree with Hathaway’s take.
“The one time I don’t mind spoilers. If the dog dies I’m not watching the movie no matter the good reviews,” the Instagram user said.
Another said that “There’s no reason to kill a dog in a movie ever.”
Kimmy Yam is a reporter for NBC Asian America.
