Home Entertainment Birds of Prey being renamed after box office woes

Birds of Prey being renamed after box office woes

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Birds of Prey may have taken the top spot at the US box office this weekend past, but it flew in way under expectations with a domestic opening of just $33.35 million. Not only was that around $12 million short of studio predictions, but it was also the lowest opening for any modern DC Comics movie since Man of Steel kicked off the DCEU in 2013. This despite the fact that it’s been praised by both critics and audiences alike, with both respective approval scores sitting on 81% on RottenTomatoes.

So what went wrong? Various reasons have been tossed out so far: Lacklustre trailers not selling the film’s excellent R-rated action, the actual R-rating holding away younger fans, very late review embargoes resulting in very little buzz, its association with the reviled Suicide Squad, people not actually knowing what Birds of Prey is about.

That last is seemingly the important bit, which Warner Bros is now looking to actually do something about… by renaming the movie. ComicBook.com was the first to notice that US cinema chains have started billing the movie as Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, before Screenrant confirmed that the change was done under the instructions of WB. It’s unclear if this new name will be rolled out globally, but I wouldn’t be surprised. And it makes a whole lot of sense.

The film’s original mouthful of a title, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), may have been great at generating headlines when it was first announced, but it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Not only does it put the name of Margot Robbie’s massively popular Harley Quinn right at the end, but it’s so long that most people just shorten it to Birds of Prey. Which makes sense given that’s the name of the comic book where most of the film’s heroines are from.

The problem is that this isn’t a Birds of Prey movie. Not really. It’s a Harley Quinn movie through and through with the Birds of Prey (Jurnee Smollet-Bell’s Black Canary, Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress, and Rosie Perez’s Renee Montoya) as a supporting cast. And now the movie’s title actually reflects that. Also, it doesn’t hurt that this actually links closer to an actual comic that featured Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey and used the exact same team of the movie (So why didn’t they just go with this in the first place?!).

Is this enough to turn around the film’s fortunes? Well, the jury is most definitely still out on that one. What is more certain though is that those people that actually saw the movie this weekend past (who I will suspect are the built-in fans who didn’t need convincing from trailers and booked their tickets early regardless) will be spreading the positive buzz over the coming weeks. Weeks in which there won’t be much in the way of major competition outside of Sonic the Hedgehog. Hopefully, that, along with the new name, can give Birds of Prey some new wings.

Last Updated: February 11, 2020

31 Comments

  1. Movie was good.
    Sad to see it not making the numbers they expected.

    Reply

    • Son of Banana Jim

      February 11, 2020 at 10:12

      The marketing killed it. It’s actually amazing if you think about it. Compare how Marvel is approaching Black Widow, and the buzz it’s generating. It’s completely natural, without the “woke” angle. They’re focussing on Black Widow being a burnt spy. The fact that she’s female comes second to her just being freaking awesome. Her gender isn’t her identity.

      Harley Quinn is actually one of the top selling comics for DC. I think last time I checked it was only Batman that was outperforming her, and yet her movie bombed. Why? It can’t just be the name of the movie? Maybe, changing the name will add a few bums in cinema seats, but I seriously doubt it (especially as I’ve mentioned earlier Sonic is coming out soon).

      By the way, they got it right with Wonder Woman though. One of the most classic moments was when a journo asked Gal Gadot if Wonder Woman was for the girls, and she replied, “No, it’s for boys and girls”. That simple answer generated so much good will – especially nowadays in a post-meToo world.

      Incidentally, I want to see the Wonder Woman sequel, because (a) of that goodwill, (b) I like the actress, (c) first movie was excellent, and (d) the trailers have piqued my interest … whereas what they pushed out for Birds of Prey just left me apathetic and even hostile to it.

      And then you have the media…

      I mean just look at this article from Salon…. (one of many). You read that headline and the chicken scratch in the body and all interest for the movie vanishes. It’s pseudo-intellectual navelgazing of the worst kind.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/06cb757a67f6cfc3c6e7796db918a74ff7733e38bba61c8e57aa00f11b697f46.png

      Reply

      • Kervyn Cloete

        February 11, 2020 at 11:02

        As I’ve pointed out below, the movie itself is not heavy handed with its politics AT ALL. It’s just a fun, action-packed rollercoaster that stars some kickass women. The most politicking it does is that some of the characters are overlooked/disregarded by some men and they get some comeuppance. But even those moments are played for either big laughs or big action.

        Reply

        • Son of Banana Jim

          February 11, 2020 at 11:35

          And that’s why the marketing was so wrong for the movie – especially during the last two weeks leading up to the movie’s release. You had the really weird articles coming from Salon and their ilk, a few bizarre interviews from Robbie and then Ewan McGregor’s appearances on a couple of talk shows (the latter probably sealed the deal).

          All it really takes is one bad take from an actor or a director – take Elizabeth Olsen’s recent comments regarding Charlie’s Angels, and your potential audience goes “poof”.

          Reply

          • Son of Banana Jim

            February 11, 2020 at 11:40

            Ewan McGregor is interesting because it’s now well known that he cheated on his wife with his co-star on Birds and Prey, and then during the press tour the talking points were heavily influenced by hashtag friendly topics like misogyny, male gaze, mansplaining etc.

            It just comes off as a little gross…

      • Kervyn Cloete

        February 11, 2020 at 11:02

        Also, I’m genuinely asking here, refresh my memory if the marketing was actually pushing a heavy political angle. Coz all I remember from the marketing and trailers were that they were very… meh. They didn’t do much of anything, no matter which way your politics lean.

        Reply

        • Son of Banana Jim

          February 11, 2020 at 11:41

          Not initially, but just like with Charlie’s Angel, Dark Fate etc., it started ramping up the closer they got to release. But, you guys are extremely active on twitter, you were completely oblivious to this?

          https://media0.giphy.com/media/8GbvxxFHJDBa8/giphy.gif

          Reply

          • Kervyn Cloete

            February 11, 2020 at 14:29

            Well I’m talking about official marketing drive, not audience discussion with their own spin on things or media asking the cast a question with an existing slant. Coz one of the issues is that movie’s marketing was severely lacking.

          • Son of Banana Jim

            February 11, 2020 at 17:19

            Lol, “official marketing drive”? So you’re looking for old school billboards? An ad on etv? No wonder it flew passed you.

            An actor or actors going to a talk show is legitimate and part of the marketing drive. It’s always been. They’re not just going on Graham Norton for the beer, or sitting with Conan because it’s fun. That’s part of selling your product – aka generating buzz.

        • BradeLunner

          February 11, 2020 at 11:40

          Did not get the political push from the marketing drive. Maybe the dumping of Letos joker came across that way, but that joker deserved to be dumped!

          Reply

  2. Stoompot

    February 11, 2020 at 10:28

    It’s just not meant for me and my misogyny.
    Leave it to Twitter to dismantle the patriarchy.
    SJW’s hush all men and how dare they debate.
    Too bad blue hairs are broke and never participate.

    Reply

  3. Alien Emperor Trevor

    February 11, 2020 at 10:39

    Too little too late. The Sunday morning screening I went to had a grand total of 10 people including me, which is pretty bad for the opening weekend of what’s supposed to be a high profile comic book movie.

    Reply

  4. BradeLunner

    February 11, 2020 at 11:40

    DC = damage control

    Reply

  5. UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy

    February 11, 2020 at 11:41

    For me this was 100%, because it looked like Suicide Squad. Definitely going to give it a chance after seeing reviews though.

    I don’t know WTF is wrong with WB though. They get the animated universe right almost all of the time, but with the live action they are all over the place.

    Reply

    • Son of Banana Jim

      February 11, 2020 at 11:47

      Maybe the guys who do the animated movies are given more freedom? But yeah, their animated movies are superb. I recently bought a whole bunch of the newer ones.

      Reply

  6. Son of Banana Jim

    February 11, 2020 at 09:47

    A little late if you’re asking me. She’s dead, Jim!

    Sonic is coming out in a few days, and there’s no way in hell, Birds of Prey will recover after that. It turns out, the buzz for Sonic has been insane, with folks genuinely being excited for it, and those who’ve seen previews are lauding it as the definitive Sonic the hedgehog experience ever.

    I’m actually thinking of watching it on opening weekend, and I despise the cinema experience.

    Reply

  7. Stoompot

    February 11, 2020 at 10:28

    It’s just not meant for me and my misogyny.
    Leave it to Twitter to dismantle the patriarchy.
    SJW’s hush all men and how dare they debate.
    Too bad blue hairs are broke and never participate.

    Reply

    • Kervyn Cloete

      February 11, 2020 at 11:02

      So here’s the thing, while I don’t agree with this whole “anti-Woke” thing (and I’m not saying it’s you, just a lot of dudes who get inexplicably upset the moment anything has any form of identity politics), I will say this about Birds of Prey. It’s most definitely not trying to be “woke”. There’s no heavy “feminist agenda” as some people may have been claiming – before they actually saw the movie – outside of the movie just revolving around a group of kick-ass women. That’s it. Nobody is pushing some heavy politics or anything. Instead the movie is 110 mins of crazy action and wise cracks with great characters.

      Reply

      • Dresden

        February 11, 2020 at 11:02

        I’m not “anti-Woke”, because that’s about just as toxic and tribalistic as the “Woke” movement, but I had my reservations (not a lot though) with the trailers. Have no issues with the premise of the movie at all.

        And after seeing what you guys had to say about it, I’m going to go watch it as soon as I can.

        Reply

        • Kervyn Cloete

          February 11, 2020 at 11:02

          The trailers were shit. There’s no other way to put it. Why, if you had all these incredible action sequences in your movie, wouldn’t you show them in the trailers? Or even give a hint of how incredibly unhinged and entertaining Ewan McGregor is? Why not actually release a R-rated red band trailer that showed that the movie is filled with some extreme violence and foul language so that audiences know this isn’t just a kids comic book movie?

          Reply

          • Son of Banana Jim

            February 11, 2020 at 11:47

            They needed the director of the Deadpool trailers or even the guys who did the Kickass trailers.

          • Geoffrey Tim

            February 11, 2020 at 12:13

            Jesus Ewan McGregor was so, so so fucking good in this. He hammed it up spectacularly, looking like he wass havign the time of his life.

          • Son of Banana Jim

            February 11, 2020 at 14:08

            Maybe he was having a little too much fun… with his co-star… ?

      • Stoompot

        February 11, 2020 at 11:41

        Yet it’s not putting butts in the seats because of how it’s marketed and portrayed by the media and Twitter. Look at the MCU. People can’t wait for the Black Widow movie but they’d rather watch Cats 10 times in a row than give Captain Marvel 2 a chance.

        Reply

        • Son of Banana Jim

          February 11, 2020 at 11:41

          It’s probably all the furries… they’re the only ones who would watch Cats.

          Reply

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