Top 10 Films With Different Names In The UK

What’s In a Name?

Last Friday, Zootropolis came out at UK cinemas. A huge Disney animated movie, it was released as Zootopia in the US. So to commemorate our two countries divided by a common language, here are ten films that changed their names when they made it across the water…

1. Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (2012)
   Marvel’s first Avengers movie had its name changed to Avengers! Assemble because of the clash with Steed and Mrs Peel from the 1960s TV show The Avengers
2. Bonnie and Clyde…Were Killers! (1967)
   Arthur Penn’s acclaimed biopic of the two infamous criminals had the phrase ‘Were Killers’ added to it to clarify its subject for people unfamiliar with the pair.
3. Howard: A New Breed of Hero (1986)
   Universal’s disastrous Marvel adaptation changed its name from Howard The Duck.
4. Leon (1994)
   Luc Besson’s film about an assassin who befriends a young girl played by Natalie Portman was called The Professional in the US.
5. Die Hard 4.0 (2007)
   Bruce Willis’s fourth outing as ex policeman John McClane was called Live Free or Die Hard, New Hampshire’s state motto apparently.
6. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
   The second film featuring Mel Gibson’s post-apocalyptic figure was just called The Road Warrior when it was released in the US as they thought adding the fact it was a sequel would put off people who hadn’t seen the first film.
7. The 51st State (2001)
   This film starring Samuel Jackson was retitled Formula 51 for the US because the film-makers thought the original title was insulting to the country, as it is an allusion to the fact that the UK can be seen as a 51st state.
8. Bad Neighbours (2014)
   Seth Rogen’s comedy, released as Neighbors in the US, had its name altered to avoid confusion with the popular long-running Australian soap of the same name.
9. Witchfinder General (1968)
   Vincent Price’s brilliant late career horror film was retitled as The Conqueror Worm in the US, even though it had nothing to do with Edgar Allen Poe.
10. Zootropolis (2016)
    Bizarrely, Zootopia was renamed Zootropolis in the UK probably because there is a Danish firm that makes clothes and educational services which would make it impossible for them to release it under the same name.
    Thanks to Matt Zitron…