Case studies
Welcome to the BBFC case studies. Written by BBFC staff, our case studies explore why a film has a particular age rating, if it was cut, or even banned.
Please note that all our case studies and files are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,) without prior written permission from the BBFC. You should email us if you wish to reproduce any of these materials.
We provide case studies for all films we introduce as part of our longstanding relationship with IntoFilm. We no longer classify video games but there are some video games case studies which offer a historical view of how we classified some well-known video games.
If you are researching a specific title and would like access to the BBFC's paper file archive this may be possible depending on the age of the work. If you would like to arrange a visit to our archives then please get in touch with us via email.
Basketball Or Nothing
Material relating to drugs will be innocuous, discreet, or have a clear aversive message at the junior categories. Read about our PG classification for Netflix's Basketball Or Nothing series.
The Suicide Squad
Violence is often a category-defining issue in the superhero genre. While bloody violence features heavily in The Suicide Squad, the film's dark comic tone proved crucial to its 15 classification.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Sam Raimi's influence can be felt through the horror elements in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, which presented a departure from previous films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Read about the film's 12A classification.
Emma
A brief moment of nudity was the sole category-defining issue in this U-rated Jane Austen adaptation.
Loro
Loro, an Italian-language biopic of politician and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, required an 18 classification for drug misuse.
In The Heights
We classified the cinematic adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's award-winning stage musical, In The Heights, at PG. Read more about the decision here.
