After losing an appeal, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks will continue to work with the MPAA ratings board to secure a PG-13 rating for Eddie Murphy's upcoming romantic comedy "Norbit," rather than the more restrictive R.
The Classification & Ratings Appeals Board on Tuesday voted to uphold the R rating given to the film by the Classification & Rating Administration (CARA) for "some sex-related humor."
Pic opens Feb. 9, just before Valentine's Day.
Par decided to go to the appeals board, which heard statements from pic's director, Brian Robbins.
Any party losing an appeal automatically has the choice to go back to the regular ratings board and resubmit the film. At that point, the distrib and the director often will agree to make certain changes.
Par said it will resubmit the film, which is technically not yet rated.
"Norbit" stars Murphy as a mild-mannered man who is engaged to a monstrous woman, until he meets the woman of his dreams and schemes to be with her instead.
While R-rated comedies have prospered of late -- among them "Wedding Crashers" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" -- Par and DreamWorks, which brought over the project, planned for a PG-13 rating.
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