This should be similar to the situation with Blade Runner 2049, as it tries to recapture the magic of the original film.
Villeneuve is no stranger to R-rated films either, as his previous directorial efforts Prisoners, Enemy, and Sicario all received that rating.
In those instances, Villeneuve did not make the films unnecessarily gritty or adult, but instead worked in language and violence for the purposes of the story.
While there has so far been nothing shown in the few pieces of marketing that point towards Blade Runner 2049 needing an R-rating, it’s not really a surprise that the sequel is headed in that direction.