Blink twice and you might have missed the title change that Zoë Kravitz had to make to appease…well, just about everybody that read it. So hopefully we don’t offend anyone here, but the original title for Blink Twice was Pussy Island, which you might be able to see why didn’t sit well along the way.
Even though the title of Pussy Island had been the original title, Zoë Kravitz told Entertainment Weekly that it was a major sticking point as the project developed. “It was made very clear to me that ‘p*ssy is a word that we, our society, are not ready to embrace yet. There were a lot of roadblocks along the way, whether it be the MPAA not wanting to put it on a poster, or a billboard, or a kiosk; movie theaters not wanting to put it on a ticket.” Of course, showing off evidence of entry to Pussy Island would have been a major bragging point for many…
Zoë Kravitz even found that those she expected support from were the ones who were objecting to the title the most. “Interestingly enough, after researching it, women were offended by the word, and women seeing the title were saying, ‘I don’t want to see that movie,’ which is part of the reason I wanted to try and use the word, which is trying to reclaim the word, and not make it something that we’re so uncomfortable using. But we’re not there yet. And I think that’s something I have the responsibility as a filmmaker to listen to. I care about people seeing the film, and I care about how it makes people feel.”
The MPA (formerly MPAA) really has no problem pushing filmmakers to bow to their demands, whether it be a title swap, poster alteration or series of edits to the movie. And while nothing can be truly enforced, it’s sometimes just easier to play nice so your work can get as wide of a release as possible. Sometimes the fights aren’t worth it – especially if, like Zoë Kravitz, you’re trying to get your directorial debut seen by the masses.
Blink Twice, which stars Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie, hits theaters on August 23rd.
What are your thoughts on the title change of Pussy Island to Blink Twice? Was it a necessary move or an overreaction? Give us your take on the matter in the comments section below.