top-list Worst movie TITLES

Jack Reacher and Max Payne were titled because they were based on original source material that the filmmakers assumed would draw in their fans. Jack Reacher was a series of books and Max Payne was a series of Video Games. Criticizing those titles doesn't make sense because the heroes of the books or VG series is a normal way to title a movie. Ironman was the name of the Super hero of the comics (his alter ego was Tony Stark). It made sense to title the film that way.
 
To me the biggest sin, though was Disney retitling the film "John Carter and the Princess of Mars" (actually the story was from the original book "The Princess of Mars" to simply John Carter. Unlike other films, a lot of the general public was NOT familiar with Edgar Rice Burroughs' books on the subject. The John Carter of Mars book was actually the 11th book in the mars Series. But to just call it "John Carter" didn't let audiences know what source material it was adapting. If they at least kept the original name of John Carter and the Princess of Mars" people would have known it was a pulp sci fi adaptation from the OLD days of sci fi (the book was written in 1912).
 
Adam Sandler Laughing GIF
 
I liked the German translation of Die Hard: Stirb Langsam - which actually means 'die slow'
And Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod (Once apon a time on the west) - meaning: play me the song of death.
 
pedramyz said:
There is a japanese anime series called "that time I got reincarnated into a slime":rofl:
"I am the pretty thing that lives inside the house" . Don't get me wrong this movie is really good. but the title?..
"the rope curse" 😆 - "exists"- " killer therapy" sh** movie btw - "the new mutants" I mean.. couldn't be a bit more creative? - "I am thinking of ending things" again not a bad movie but iffy title.
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Sometimes languages/culture just don't translate well.

A really bad title for a really bad movie: "Santa Claus Conquers the MartiAns"

And perennial favorite that is so bad it's good.... "Plan 9 From Outer Space."
 
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Ohh MARTIANS, the Martins would be a whole different movie lol.

And Bela Lugosi's last movie I believe.
 
By the way... For all the screenwriters out there? This is a very good lesson to learn. My VERY first spec script was titled:

TERMINAL LEAVE

A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE title. I got some bites but not a lot of action. I titled it that because at the time, I was in the Navy and the title is comensurate with you retiring from active duty. You take the last of your built-up leave and that's it... You're OUT. It's called TERMINAL LEAVE.

But again... Terrible title. LOL.

I had a producer send me an email and tell me he loved the script but hated the title. He passed but told me to give it a new title and I would have more luck with it.

I retitled it to: EXIT STRATEGY

Optioned it out about 3 months later.

Huge lesson for me.
 
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