Movies that changed their name after release?

[clamcakes]

The Ewok Adventure became Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure.

[russweiss1]

Originally Posted by OABJYU

it did play as Space Vampires in some countries. France was one I think?

It's possible it had more than one release but I have a French 1-panel under the Lifeforce title. It did play in Italy as Space Vampires.

Lifeforce French 1.JPG

Lifeforce Italian.jpg

[SeanJoyce]

The Sadist is known in some territories by its superior alternate title, Sweet Baby Charlie

Emperor of the North was originally Emperor of the North Pole

Dark Angel was originally I Come in Peace, which remains in the opening credits (and is a much better title)

The Irishman was I Heard You Paint Houses (again, unchanged in the opening credits)

[Shogun MacArthur]

The American releases of several Godzilla movies started off with different titles from the Japanese original before reverting back to them. Godzilla Vs. The Thing -> Mothra Vs. Godzilla, Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster -> Godzilla Vs. Hedorah, Godzilla on Monster Island -> Godzilla Vs. Gigan, Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster -> Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, Godzilla's Revenge -> All Monsters Attack, off the top of my head. Interestingly it took a while for them all to go back to the original. I remember the Classic Media Godzilla set had Mothra Vs. Godzilla correctly titled but still called All Monsters Attack Godzilla's Revenge.

[Jeyl]

The 1996 Jeff Daniels film 'Fly Away Home' was initially titled 'Flying Wild'. They even had a preview which voiceover saying the original title out loud. I believe this was on the Jumanji VHS release. Will have to check the VHS openings on youtube later.

[BluZone]

Day of the Woman was re-titled I Spit on Your Grave

[dancerslegs]

The 1941 RKO feature known best today as The Devil and Daniel Webster, and based on the Stephen Vincent Benét short story of the same name, was originally intended to be released under that title, but changed to All That Money Can Buy for its debut (for reasons that are still in debate). It was then reissued under different titles like Daniel and the Devil and A Certain Mr Scratch when it flopped at the box office. During a 1943 rerelease, the originally planned title The Devil and Daniel Webster was restored. It was also apparently previewed under the title Here Is a Man at some point.

When UCLA and Janus Films collaborated on a 4K restoration in 2022, they reinstated the title at release, All That Money Can Buy.

Excellent movie, btw.

[headphones]

Not an official change. But when there's a sequel, the number 1 will often go at the end of the original first movie.

And when there's a reboot that uses the exact same name (which I don't enjoy when films do that), the reboot will be usually labeled as "the new" before the title. Or sometimes, "the old" or "the original" before the title of the original film. But which movie has that added depends on how popular either one is. The original one remains the more popular version, then the reboot will get the title change. and vice-versa.

[brad4846]

Prey for the Devil was advertised for a pretty long time as The Devil’s Light. Granted, they changed it prior to release

[Hazel Motes]

Pirate Radio/The Boat That Rocked

[Reflection]

A new one, they just renamed Thunderbolts, which is now called The New Avengers, spoilers maybe? i haven't seen it yet.

[unclefred]

Originally Posted by Reflection

A new one, they just renamed Thunderbolts, which is now called The New Avengers, spoilers maybe? i haven't seen it yet.

Uh oh, they'll be coming for you now.

[8traxrule]

I saw a trailer on a VHS movie for “Staying Together” which used the title “Boys”.

“Year of the Comet” had a theatrical trailer with the title “A Very Good Year.”

One of the most confusing was the movie released as “Bound by Honor”-
It had a trailer calling it “Blood In Blood Out” and that title was put back on it when it hit video.

Just remembered a teaser trailer for “Eaters of the Dead” which was released as “The 13th Warrior”- the old title only made sense if you knew the story, otherwise it sounded like a horror movie which it wasn’t.

[Reflection]

Originally Posted by 8traxrule

I saw a trailer on a VHS movie for “Staying Together” which used the title “Boys”.

“Year of the Comet” had a theatrical trailer with the title “A Very Good Year.”

One of the most confusing was the movie released as “Bound by Honor”-
It had a trailer calling it “Blood In Blood Out” and that title was put back on it when it hit video.

Just remembered a teaser trailer for “Eaters of the Dead” which was released as “The 13th Warrior”- the old title only made sense if you knew the story, otherwise it sounded like a horror movie which it wasn’t.

Well Eaters of the Dead was the name of the Michael Crichton novel the movie is based on, although i actually prefer the "13th Warrior" title, less spoilery title, albeit more generic.

[Martoto]

Wasn't Night Of The Living Dead released under the title Night Of The Ghouls for like three days, initially?

[Prohibida]

Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even (1992)

Though, some 90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans will remember the movie as Stepkids. This movie seemed to vanish out of nowhere during the 90s. I remember going like, WTF happened to that movie. I never heard from it again after seeing the trailer. Part of the reason for that is the title change from Stepkids to Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even. There are still old ads with the title Stepkids, but looking it up it will have the other title. Which confused me for years now.

The movie sounds and is obscure, especially today, but it does have a decent amount of familiar actors from the 80s and 90s.

[8traxrule]

Also remember a trailer for “One Hot Summer” playing with Batman Returns, but that movie never came out and later surfaced on video as “That Night.”

[FlamedLiquid]

A lot of older horror movies have had name changes, especially if they were from another country.