Why was the original tagline changed from the movie poster?

Why was the original tagline changed from the movie poster? - Three Assorted Movie Posters

In the original movie poster for Leprechaun, the tagline reads "Your luck just ran out"

original movie poster

When the movie poster or DVD cover was re-worked due to the positive direction of Jennifer Aniston's career (I'm assuming), the new cover shows Jennifer Aniston on the cover with the new tagline "Her luck just ran out."

Aniston poster

I understand wanting to capitalize on Jennifer Aniston's post-Leprauchan fame to market the film by adding her picture and name headlining the poster. However, the tagline being changed doesn't make much sense since there are a whole group of people whose "luck runs out"

Why was the tagline changed from the original 1993 movie poster?



Best Answer

I'll go with some reasoning rather than an actual interview from the distributors here. First of all, you already explained the most likely reason for why the new poster was changed at all and why it has a huge Jennifer Aniston superimposed onto the old poster. And that seems also the reason for the changed tagline. The new tagline integrates better with the new poster.

In the old poster you had the leprechaun looking directly at the audience and the tagline thus adressed the audience saying that our luck ran out, because that leprechaun over there will soon kill us. Now in the new poster that break of the fourth wall has been diminished, since we now have a closed scene where the leprechaun basically looks at poor Jennifer instead of us. So clearly her luck ran out and the tagline doesn't need to break the fourth wall either.

The poster gives a more coherent whole this way and doesn't completely look like a bad photoshop of the old poster to smash in the face of a now famous celebrity (even if it practically is just that). By also adapting the tagline, they made that tagline work better with the entirely changed narrative situation resulting from the new poster. Or said differently, you want a big face in your poster? Then better have it make sense to be there. ;-)




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Why was the original tagline changed from the movie poster? - Person holding a videotape



What is the tagline of a movie?

A movie tagline is a short text which serves to clarify an idea for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with the film.

What is an original movie poster?

An original movie poster can be defined as: A poster that was issued for a movie by the National Screen Service (NSS), or by a movie studio, or by another company authorized by the studio for display in an actual movie theatre at the time of the films original release.

What was the tagline for Jaws?

Jaws (1975): "You'll never go in the water again." This movie made everyone think of sharks differently. It also made them think twice about going swimming in the sea, which is precisely why this tagline earned a spot on our list.



The History of the Hollywood Movie Poster




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