For some of last weekend’s movie-going public, “Birds of Prey” is a feast for the eyes. But the film isn’t just eye candy—it had post-breakup Harley Quinn, a superpowered girl squad and an altogether different spin on the comic book genre. Still, the “fantabulous” parts of “Birds of Prey” wasn’t enough for the box office, as the film is tagged as DC’s lowest opening in over a decade. So what’s the easiest fix? Slap a new title on it, of course.
Originally known as the mouthful “Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn),” the title will be shortened to the simpler “Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey.” The WB-mandated name has been seen in cinemas abroad; however, promotional material will retain its original title. According to reports, the small change only seeks to boost online searches and ticket reader boards.
Read more: “Birds of Prey” is the Harley Quinn film we’ve been waiting for
While no official reason has been released, we can pretty much infer that the change has been prompted by the film’s “underwhelming” performance at the weekend box office, despite rave reviews from both critics and audiences. If the trailer and the poster didn’t clue people in, Harley Quinn’s in the movie, and its new title is one more in-your-face reminder.
We’ll side with Harley and the gang for this one. “Birds of Prey” is a win for a female-directed superhero film, so let’s catch it in cinemas while we can—we don’t want another “Charlie’s Angels” bomb in our hands.
Still from “Birds of Prey”