Warner Bros. PicturesWarner Bros. appears to have renamed DC movie Birds of Prey in some cinemas, following a disappointing opening weekend.
Theatre chains AMC, Regal and Cinemark have switched the title around significantly, in what appears to be a move towards boosting ticket sales.
In what was a surprising turnout for a superhero movie, Birds of Prey opened well below expectations. Raking in just $33 million domestically, the film had been anticipated to earn around $50-55 million in its opening weekend alone.
Warner Bros. PicturesThe full original title was Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), but this has now been altered in some cinemas to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey.
As speculated by Entertainment Weekly, it could be that some viewers were put off by the original title as it didn’t make it clear the movie focuses on Margot Robbie’s character, Harley Quinn.
Other reasons behind the disappointing sales figures could be the film’s R-rating, which may have put off younger viewers who would have otherwise flocked to the multiplex.
Another reason could be that the film was released on the same weekend as the Oscars, with many movie buffs staying indoors to watch the most important event of the Hollywood calendar.
Some major theater chains including AMC and Regal have changed their listings for #BirdsOfPrey
From: 'Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)'
To: 'Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey'
Do you think the title affected its box-office this weekend? pic.twitter.com/xfesjszv2Y
— Fandom (@getFANDOM) February 10, 2020
Despite this financial disappointment, Bird of Prey has been well received by viewers and currently holds an 80% ‘Fresh’ critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, from a total of 297 reviews. Meanwhile, the audience score is a very decent 81%.
According to the Critics Consensus:
With a fresh perspective, some new friends, and loads of fast-paced action, Birds of Prey captures the colorfully anarchic spirit of Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn.
I finally saw #BirdsOfPrey & it is everything I wanted & MORE!
The film was BEAUTIFUL.
It perfectly leads up to a sequel with Black Canary, Huntress & Renee.
Ignore Box Office numbers, all that matters is that the fans loved it.
Guess this beauty is just another Cult Classic. pic.twitter.com/ZNr8JQXFce
— Nat ✨ Birds of Prey (@brie_sparkles) February 11, 2020
Directed by Cathy Yan from a screenplay by Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey stars Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in a tale about Harley’s life after splitting from the Joker.
The synopsis for the film reads:
A twisted tale told by Harley Quinn herself, when Gotham’s most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis, and his zealous right-hand, Zsasz, put a target on a young girl named Cass, the city is turned upside down looking for her.
Harley, Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya’s paths collide, and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.
You can catch Birds of Prey in cinemas nationwide now.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.