History BillingDisplacement / LiveActionFilms

** After the first movie, Creator/TobinBell was always top-billed in most movies in the series (except ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'' and ''Film/{{Spiral|2021}}'', the latter in which he's absent for the first time in the series) due to him playing the titular character Jigsaw, even after ''Film/SawIII'', where Jigsaw is already dead and only appears in a handful of flashbacks and tapes. It got to the point that many of the posters from that point onwards tended to [[AdvertisedExtra feature a representation of Jigsaw in some way]].

** After the first movie, Creator/TobinBell was always top-billed in most movies in the series (except ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'' and ''Film/{{Spiral|2021}}'', the latter in which he's absent for the first time in the series) due to him playing the titular character Jigsaw, even after ''Film/SawIII'', where Jigsaw is already dead and only appears in a handful of flashbacks and tapes.

** Willis' face receives undue attention in some video releases of ''Film/LoadedWeapon1'' where he makes an uncredited {{cameo}} appearance.

* ''Film/{{Superman}}'' has Creator/MarlonBrando and Creator/GeneHackman billed above the title, while Creator/ChristopherReeve, who plays Superman, is first billed ''below'' the title. Creator/MargotKidder is also billed very late in the credits, despite having the pivotal Lois Lane role, as a result of everyone after Reeve being in alphabetical order. Of course, while Brando [[MoneyDearBoy received notoriously outsize compensation]] for his small part and Hackman has a huge part as the villain, Reeve charmed the world as the Metropolis Marvel and the sequels gave him the proper top billing as a result, although in the first sequel, Hackman was still billed before Reeve, despite Hackman's Lex Luthor being supplanted as the main villain by Creator/TerenceStamp's General Zod, who received the AndStarring treatment. Reeve however was now billed above the title, unlike in the first movie.

* Despite playing the central antagonist and featuring heavily in the trailer, Creator/RogerAllam's name cannot be found on the poster or DVD box credits for ''Film/SpeedRacer''. His name does appear (very far down) in the end credits, but he doesn't get credited with the other main cast in the main credits at all. Those who ''were'' included? Kick Gurry, Benno Furmann, Creator/HiroyukiSanada and Music/{{Rain}}. Little-known actors (in the US, anyway), and in much more minor roles.

* The Aussie coming-of-age comedy ''Flirting'' stars Creator/NoahTaylor and Creator/ThandieNewton, but on the DVD cover Creator/NicoleKidman (who has a supporting role) is pictured front and center, with Taylor and Newton off in the background.

* Much of the promotional material for ''Film/MyGirl'' made it look like Creator/MacaulayCulkin was joint lead with Creator/AnnaChlumsky, as he appeared in all the posters with her and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdhsJ_-olpk the trailer was even told from his perspective]]. At the time of the films release in 1991 Culkin was extremely famous after the megahit ''Film/HomeAlone'' while Chlumsky was an unknown newcomer. In the actual film Chlumsky's character Vada is very clearly the main character and the film is told from her perspective; Culkin plays the supporting role of Thomas J who, while still significant, has far less screentime than Vada [[spoiler: and he dies two thirds of the way through.]]

* Creator/MartinFreeman, who played Arthur Dent (the main character) in ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', was listed fourth in the opening credits.

** In the {{Sequel}}[=/=]{{Interquel}} ''The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption'', protagonist Victor Webster at least has his name on the cover.

** The original plays up a minor Creator/MickeyRourke character and an uncredited Creator/BruceWillis cameo in the poster, and only the first four names are in the same order of the credits (the fifth is antagonist Creator/EricRoberts). ''Film/TheExpendables2'' still has Creator/JetLi billed third even if his character leaves early in the movie. ''Film/TheExpendables3'' has as third and fourth the minor appearances of Creator/HarrisonFord and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger, followed by the film's antagonist Creator/MelGibson (though Gibson's smeared reputation probably helped him get lower).

* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': Whilst Creator/WillSmith, Creator/BillPullman and Creator/JeffGoldblum are the three leads and are billed first, the other main characters are billed according to how well known their actors were. Thus the first billed female actor is Creator/MaryMcDonnell, despite her First Lady not having as much screen time or plot relevance as other characters. Creator/VivicaAFox, whose character Jasmine probably had the most screen time out of the female characters, and is a major player in the storyline, is billed FOURTEENTH, below minor characters like James Duvall’s Miguel and Creator/AdamBaldwin’s Major Mitchell.

* ''[[Film/Shazam2019 SHAZAM!]]'' has Creator/ZacharyLevi billed first. It's kinda OK since he's the title character, but Creator/AsherAngel, who plays his alter-ego, is billed third behind Creator/MarkStrong, who plays the BigBad. Asher has the most screentime of the three actors.

* Creator/JaredLeto is billed second in ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}'' for his role as the ComicBook/TheJoker and is prominently featured in the film's marketing, but has virtually no involvement in the main plot of the film and is only seen for about seven minutes.
** On the opposing edge, Creator/KarenFukuhara (Katana) doesn't get her name alone in the VideoCredits - unlike Adam Beach (Slipknot), who barely appears [[spoiler:[[SacrificialLion before being killed off]]]] and a glorified cameo by Music/{{Common}} as a mobster.

* Creator/RobinWright gets third billing in ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' despite her character getting killed off 15 minutes into the film.
** In [[Film/WonderWoman1984 the sequel]], she and Creator/ConnieNielsen are billed only below the four main actors even if they only appear in the prologue. A minor case happens in the second to fourth actors: Pedro Pascal's main villain ends up below the secondary one Kristen Wiig, while second place is Chris Pine, which while important is absent from both the beginning and the third act.

* ''Film/StTrinians'' has the posters proeminently featuring Creator/TalulahRiley, the main character, and Creator/GemmaArterton, the title school's head girl. Neither woman has their name on the billing block below, and in the opening credits, Riley is the last name before the AndStarring, and Arterton only appears afterwards, along with two other names. The VideoCredits at the end compensate, with Riley first and Arterton sixth, before [[AllStarCast all the big names.]]

* ''Film/StTrinians'' has the posters proeminently featuring Creator/TalulahRiley, the main character, and Creator/GemmaArterton, the title school's head girl. Neither woman has name on the billing block below, and in the opening credits, Riley is the last name before the AndStarring, and Arterton only appears afterwards, along with two other names. The VideoCredits at the end compensate, with Riley first and Arterton sixth, before [[AllStarCast all the big names.]]

** Universal more than likely limited Seyfried's role in the marketing since she had been in a number of recent flops and the studio likely felt that her appearance would limit the audience (Universal did the same thing on ''Safe House'' by barely showing Creator/RyanReynolds in the ad campaign).
** Similarly, Samantha Barks and Creator/AaronTveit were the only members of the main cast to be left off the trailer's list of actors and to not have their own mini-posters, although anyone who is familiar with the story knows that Eponine is arguably as important as Cosette (Seyfried) and that Enjolras leads the revolution.
*** And speaking of the revolution, in a more general case of NeverTrustATrailer, it is hardly glimpsed in most of the trailers but plays an enormous part in about half the movie.

* ''Film/TheSchoolForGoodAndEvil2022'': Creator/MichelleYeoh gets billed above both Jamie Flatters and Kit Young in the end credits, despite her limited screen time, and Flatters and Young both having much bigger and plot relevant roles as the LoveInterest of one of the leads and the BigBad respectfully.

* ''Film/TheSchoolForGoodAndEvil2022'': Creator/MichelleYeoh gets billed above both Jamie Flatters and Kit Young in the end credits, despite her limited screen time, and Flatters and Young both having much bigger and plot relevant roles as the LoveInterest of one of the leads and the BigBad respectfully.

* ''[[Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960 The Magnificent Seven]]'' is an odd case of this. In the film itself, Creator/EliWallach (who plays the villain) gets second billing below Creator/YulBrynner and above the other six "Magnificent" main characters, including Creator/SteveMcQueenActor who has a much larger role and much more screentime than Wallach (though it can be argued that Calvera is an EnsembleDarkhorse and deserved it more). The poster flips this though. [=McQueen=] is billed ''first,'' Yul Brynner is billed fourth (placing him exactly in the middle of the poster), and Wallach isn't mentioned at all.

** On the opposing edge, Creator/KarenFukuhara (Katana) doesn't get her name alone in the VideoCredits - unlike Adam Beach (Slipknot), who barely appears [[spoiler:[[SacrificialLion before being killed off]]]] and a glorified cameo by Common as a mobster.

** The displacement is [[UpToEleven taken to ridiculous lengths]] in ''Film/Saw3D'', where:

* ''Film/{{Red}}'' has Creator/MaryLouiseParker billed sixth despite having the most scenes in the film outside of Creator/BruceWillis' character.

* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': Whilst Creator/WillSmith, Creator/BillPull,an and Creator/JeffGoldblum are the three leads and are billed first, the other main characters are billed according to how well known their actors were. Thus the first billed female actor is Creator/MaryMcDonnell, despite her First Lady not having as much screen time or plot relevance as other characters. Creator/VivicaAFox, whose character Jasmine probably had the most screen time out of the female characters, and is a major player in the storyline, is billed FOURTEENTH, below minor characters like James Duvall’s Miguel and Creator/AdamBaldwin’s Major Mitchell.

** ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' has Favreau billed above three of the villains who have larger roles than Happy, followed by Creator/BenedictWong appearing in just one scene, and Creator/TonyRevolori (Flash Thompson), who appeared in the whole trilogy but is borderline DemotedToExtra in this one, before the AndStarring credits. The ending credits end up not having the two remaining villains (Creator/ThomasHadenChurch and Creator/RhysIfans) as well as Creator/JkSimmons as J. Jonah Jameson, who has more screentime than Revolori. And the cast list has six people before those three appear.[[note]]Betty Brant, the agent who interrogates Peter Parker, the MIT vice-chancellor, and Peter Parker's teachers; the cameo by [[spoiler:[[Series/Daredevil2015 Matt Murdock]]]] is also between Lizard and Sandman [[/note]]

** In the original trilogy, Creator/PeterCushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) and Creator/BillyDeeWilliams (Lando Calrissian) get billed after the main stars (Creator/MarkHamill, Creator/HarrisonFord and Creator/CarrieFisher). Creator/DavidProwse and Creator/JamesEarlJones, meanwhile, who played and voiced Darth Vader (respectively) are listed under the co-stars, as are a few other actors of pivotal characters such as Creator/FrankOz (Yoda) and Creator/IanMcDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine[[note]]in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' — the hologram in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' wasn't him [[GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion originally]][[/note]]).

* ''Film/DeathRace2000'' featured Creator/DavidCarradine in his first post-''Series/KungFu'' role, naturally giving him top-billing, and appearing on the poster. A young Creator/SylvesterStallone appears in a strong-supporting role as the antagonist "Machine-Gun Joe" Viterbo (which doesn't even crack the Top 10 of stupidest names for a Stallone character). His only other major film to date had been ''The Lords of Flatbush''. When the movie was re-released for DVD, Stallone was added to the cover, sharing the top-billing with Carradine.

** Willis' face receives undue attention in some video releases of ''Film/NationalLampoonsLoadedWeapon1'' where he makes an uncredited {{cameo}} appearance.

* ''Film/TheIslandOfDoctorMoreau1996'' has BilledAboveTheTitle Creator/MarlonBrando as the title antagonist and Creator/ValKilmer as his right-hand man, and all the promotion focused on them. Actual protagonist Creator/DavidThewlis is the next name.