Birds of Prey title changed days after release following disappointing box office takings
Margot Robbie film opened to the lowest box office gross for a DCU movie
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Birds of Prey has had its title officially changed days after its release, following an underwhelming opening weekend at the US box office.
The websites for numerous US cinema chains, including AMC, Cinemark and Regal, have updated the film’s title to read Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, after Margot Robbie’s character in the film.
The film is still titled Birds of Prey (or the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on-screen, but had been shortened to the less elaborate Birds of Prey in much of its promotional material.
The change follows a potentially disastrous opening weekend at the US box office for the film, which scraped in just $33.2m (£25.7m) despite studio Warner Bros expecting more.
The film’s title had been earmarked as a potential cause for its limited gross.
A number of box office analysts have speculated that the lack of brand awareness surrounding the comic book heroes known as the Birds of Prey may have turned off more casual audiences.
“If this movie is about Harley Quinn, then why the hell isn’t it being called Harley Quinn?” wrote Anthony D’Alessandro for Deadline. “The movie isn’t about the Birds of Prey. They’re just Harley’s back-up band.”
Birds of Prey, which carried a production budget of $82m, has so far grossed $81m worldwide. But it also earned the unpleasant record of lowest opening weekend gross for a DC Comics film since 2010, and the lowest of the new DC Comics Cinematic Universe.
Margot Robbie stars in the film, alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollet-Bell and Ewan McGregor.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments