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| 3 | %% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. |
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| 6 | BillingDisplacement in live-action movies. |
| 7 | ---- |
| 8 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 9 | |
| 10 | !!General: |
| 11 | [[folder:General examples]] |
| 12 | * Many Australian networks try to capitalize on the success of Australian actors in Hollywood. Showtime is a repeat offender, while networks like Ten, Seven and Nine would likely end up saying something like "Starring Creator/JaiCourtney and Creator/BruceWillis" for ''Film/AGoodDayToDieHard''. |
| 13 | ** ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' gets this treatment in one of the adverts. On the Showtime network in Australia, they started to list prominent films that month, and the stars, but for the ''The Avengers'', it simply says "Creator/ChrisHemsworth - The Avengers''. Chris Hemsworth, as ComicBook/TheMightyThor, has a relatively minor role in comparison to the ACTUAL stars, Creator/RobertDowneyJr and Creator/ChrisEvans. This is likely to capitalize on the fact that an Australian's done well in Hollywood. |
| 14 | ** During an airing of ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' on Australian TV, it was advertised as starring Creator/HughJackman, who has 1 line and about 10 seconds of screentime. |
| 15 | * In addition to being about humans fighting alien invaders in the Pacific Ocean, both ''Film/{{Battleship}}'' and ''Film/PacificRim'' gave second billing to the actor (Alexander Skarsgård in the former and Diego Klattenhoff in the latter) portraying the older brother of the main protagonist. They end up [[spoiler:getting killed in the first battle sequence of their respective movies.]] |
| 16 | * In general, most ensemble casts in horror movies are billed in alphabetical order to hide the surprise. One such case is ''Film/TheEvilDead1981'', which ends up putting Creator/BruceCampbell's name in the middle of the list. (An exception fitting the trope is ''Film/{{Alien}}'' - the FinalGirl Creator/SigourneyWeaver comes second, after the most familiar name at the time, Tom Skerritt.) |
| 17 | ** Bruce would later get a top billing on some VHS releases despite having a small part in them (''Film/{{Intruder}}'', ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn2TexasBloodMoney''). |
| 18 | * Hardly any of the adaptations of ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' give top billing to the actor who plays D'Artagnan, the true lead character. Exceptions are the [[Film/TheThreeMusketeers1921 version from 1921]] and the 1939 musical version starring Creator/DonAmeche. |
| 19 | ** The [[Film/TheThreeMusketeers1948 1948 version]] gave top billing to Creator/LanaTurner, who played Milady de Winter, with Creator/GeneKelly as D'Artagnan coming in second. |
| 20 | ** Creator/BrianBlessed, who played Porthos, was billed first in the 1966 TV version. |
| 21 | ** The [[Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973 1973 version]] gave Creator/RichardChamberlain the top spot (he played Aramis). |
| 22 | ** The [[Film/TheThreeMusketeers1993 1993 version]] billed Creator/CharlieSheen first (he also played Aramis). |
| 23 | ** ''Film/TheMusketeer'', which is re-titled because it's ''all about'' D'Artagnan, minimizing the Three Musketeers' roles to cameos, still bills Creator/CatherineDeneuve, who plays Ann of Austria, first, while Justin Chambers, who plays the title character, is billed ''last''. |
| 24 | ** The [[Film/TheThreeMusketeers2011 2011 film]] gives top billing to Matthew Macfayden, who plays Athos. |
| 25 | ** Even the BBC TV adaptation ''Series/TheMusketeers'' bills Tom Burke (Athos) first and Luke Pasquelino (D'Artagnan) ''ninth''. Out of ''ten''. (Though that may have more to do with the series credits being done alphabetically; see also, Creator/PeterCapaldi as Richelieu being credited before Howard Charles as Porthos). |
| 26 | [[/folder]] |
| 27 | |
| 28 | [[folder:Specific creators]] |
| 29 | * The RetroactiveRecognition version of this has occurred with some older movies where Creator/JackieChan appeared in minor roles. For example, ''女警察'' (''The Policewoman''), a crime / action film from 1973 starring Yuen Qiu and Charlie Chin, was later reissued on VHS / DVD under several different titles (one of which was ''Rumble in Hong Kong'', an obvious case of TranslationMatchmaking), with Chan's name on the front cover. Similarly, in ''The 36 Crazy Fists'' (1977), he was credited as "stunt coordinator" and appeared on-screen only as an extra, but the front cover of some DVD reissues are misleadingly designed to present him as the leading actor and/or the director. |
| 30 | * Creator/RebeccaHall is a frequent victim. |
| 31 | ** Despite being one of the title characters in ''Film/VickyCristinaBarcelona'', she's not on the poster at all and her name is billed with the minor supporting roles - while Creator/PenelopeCruz gets joint top billing with Javier Bardem and Creator/ScarlettJohansson above a photograph of the three of them. Her character ''is'' important and the performance won an Oscar, but Cruz herself actually only appears in less than a third of the film. (This is averted with the posters for most Creator/WoodyAllen films - and on the opening credits of the film itself; as with many of his films, the stars are listed in alphabetical order and have all their names on one card.) |
| 32 | ** In ''Film/ThePrestige'', she had about the same number of scenes as Scarlett Johansson but only Johansson was on all of the advertising. |
| 33 | ** In some ads for the ''Film/TheTown'', despite being the lead female, Hall was billed below Creator/BlakeLively (who is only in fifteen minutes of the film). |
| 34 | * Creator/MarilynMonroe is often featured as the main attraction on the home video releases of the 1950 public domain film ''Hometown Story'', which would likely remain a very obscure movie were it not for her brief appearance as a secretary and one of her very first on-screen appearances. Jeffery Lynn, Donald Crisp, and Marjorie Reynolds are technically the actual "stars". |
| 35 | ** There was even a boxset of 100 public domain "Hollywood" movies with a closeup of her on the front of the big package as the big "star". When actually, ''Home Town Story'' is the only film of hers in the set, and even that only has her brief cameo role mentioned above. People buying the giant set are maybe getting 120 seconds of on-screen Marilyn at best. |
| 36 | ** Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox's "Marilyn Monroe: The Premiere Collection" DVD set included ''Film/{{Monkey Business|1952}}'' (1952) and ''There's No Business Like Show Business'' (1954), on which Monroe was originally fourth-billed and third-billed respectively in accordance with the secondary importance of her roles. |
| 37 | * Creator/HaydenPanettiere is prominently displayed on the DVD packaging of two of her pre-''Series/{{Heroes}}'' movies, ''Shanghai Kiss'' and as shown in the page image ''The Good Student'' (formerly called ''Mr. Gibb''); though not the lead in either she plays one of the main characters in the former and even [[TheCastShowoff sings at the end]], whereas she only appears for about 10 minutes in the latter (though her kidnapping is what kicks the plot into gear, Creator/TimDaly is the movie's real star). On the other hand, the [[Creator/DisneyChannel Disney Channel Original Movie]] ''Film/TigerCruise'' - in which Hayden plays the main character ''and'' has top billing, and which also has Creator/BillPullman and a pre-''Series/ICarly'' Creator/JennetteMcCurdy was never issued on any format for 15 years before the launch of Creator/DisneyPlus. |
| 38 | ** In 2009, she made the film ''Carmel-by-the-Sea'' - eventually released DirectToDVD as ''The Forger'', [[http://www.amazon.com/The-Forger-Josh-Hutcherson/dp/B007IU8YY4/ref=sr_1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1337800581&sr=1-4 the cover of which features her]] in second position to Creator/JoshHutcherson (who is in fact the star of the film) and billed above Creator/AlfredMolina and Creator/LaurenBacall (somewhat different from [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheGoblinKing the last film with Panettiere and Bacall]]). On the film's credits, Hayden receives "[[AndStarring And...]]" billing. |
| 39 | * Creator/EricRoberts is often highly billed and/or put on the poster of many smaller films for promotional value even though he often appears in only a few minutes of the movie. As a consequence, it's hard to know which films truly feature him as a main player. A good example is ''Film/ATalkingCat'', which gave him prominent billing for what was, by his own admission, a few minutes' voice-over work in his own living room. |
| 40 | * Creator/QuentinTarantino ''loves'' this trope: |
| 41 | ** ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' has a ''very'' twisted example (having an ensemble cast), particularly considering the billing of Creator/MichaelMadsen and Creator/TimRoth: |
| 42 | *** The poster features Roth getting the second billing, while Madsen gets the ''sixth billing'' (which is essentially an [[AndStarring "and" credit]]). |
| 43 | *** The opening credits reverses this, giving Madsen the second billing, while Roth is given the ''eighth'' billing (also an [[AndStarring "and" credit]]). |
| 44 | *** The closing credits gives Roth and Madsen the second and third billings respectively. |
| 45 | *** In the opening and closing credits Eddie Bunker gets a higher billing than [[CreatorCameo Tarantino]], though he has ''very'' few lines in the opening scene, and a speechless blink-and-miss appearance in the "Mr. Orange" chapter, while Tarantino has an opening monologue, few lines in the "Mr. Orange" chapter, and [[spoiler: a [[DeathByCameo death scene]]]]. |
| 46 | ** The aforementioned Bruce Willis example in ''Film/PulpFiction''. |
| 47 | *** The character of Creator/HarveyKeitel (who received an unquestionable top-billing in ''Reservoir Dogs'') is introduced nearly at the climax of ''Pulp Fiction'', has less screen-time than [[CreatorCameo Tarantino]], and outranks most of the main characters in poster and opening credits. |
| 48 | ** Creator/RobertDeNiro clearly had more screen-time than Bridget Fonda and Creator/MichaelKeaton in ''Film/JackieBrown'', but gets an [[AndStarring "and" credit]]. |
| 49 | ** David Carradine has very small and [[TheFaceless faceless]] scenes as the titular Bill in ''Film/KillBill Vol 1.'', but outranks most of the cast during closing credits. Madsen, on the other hand, has a speechless appearance and a single flash-forward scene, but get only one credit lower than Carradine. |
| 50 | ** ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' is an ensemble piece, but if any of the cast could claim to be the most important character it would be either Creator/MelanieLaurent's Shosanna and/or Creator/ChristophWaltz's Hans Landa. Naturally, Creator/BradPitt is billed first (also having an important role) and is the star of the trailers. |
| 51 | ** The eponymous eight characters of ''Film/TheHatefulEight'' are billed in the order of appearance. As a result, Creator/KurtRussell is billed second, [[spoiler: even though his character dies halfway, and appears as a corpse for the rest of the movie]]. Also, Roth and Madsen are billed sixth and seventh, even though they last longer than Russell and Demian Bichir (fifth billing, [[spoiler: his character dies only minutes after Russell's]]). |
| 52 | * Creator/RobinWilliams used [[StageNames pseudonyms]] for his appearances in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', ''Film/ShakesTheClown'', and ''The Secret Agent'' to avoid this trope. |
| 53 | * This happens to Creator/BruceWillis a lot: |
| 54 | ** ''Film/PlanetTerror'' has a small appearance by Bruce Willis. The plan was to make it one of those "Wait, Bruce Willis is in this movie?" moments, but it was kinda ruined when he got billed in the poster. |
| 55 | ** In ''Film/HartsWar'', the central character (Hart) is actually played by Colin Farrell. However, at that time Farrell was not enough big name to deserve the first place on the poster. Many (all?) posters in fact were showing only Willis' face. |
| 56 | ** ''Film/TheSiege'' prominently features Bruce's face on the cover art, despite the fact that he plays a fairly minor (albeit very important) character who only appears in about 15 minutes of the film. |
| 57 | ** Willis' face receives undue attention in some video releases of ''Film/LoadedWeapon1'' where he makes an uncredited [[TheCameo cameo]] appearance. |
| 58 | ** Willis received top billing in ''Film/{{Sunset|1988}}'', but Creator/JamesGarner actually has much more screen time during the movie. |
| 59 | ** Surprisingly ''{{inverted|Trope}}'' with ''Film/PulpFiction''; his billing on the poster is "and Bruce Willis" at the bottom, and is in smaller font than other names. He gets even worse treatment in the film's actual credits. Yet, he probably gets the most screentime in the film (aside from Vincent Vega). |
| 60 | ** In some countries, ''Film/TheLastBoyScout'' left Bruce Willis's co-star Damon Wayans off the posters. |
| 61 | ** In ''Film/FourRooms'', Willis was actually prevented from being credited at all by the Screen Actors Guild because he wasn't paid: he did his scene as a favor to Creator/QuentinTarantino. |
| 62 | [[/folder]] |
| 63 | |
| 64 | !!Movies: |
| 65 | |
| 66 | [[folder:#-F]] |
| 67 | * In Italy, two separate posters for ''Film/TwelveYearsASlave'' (that were unauthorized by the distributor) were released that gave more emphasis on either Creator/BradPitt's or Creator/MichaelFassbender's face (said actors have merely small roles in the film), while downplaying leading man Creator/ChiwetelEjiofor's presence in these ads. The film is about slavery in America, and the backlash that ensued prompted the distributor to pull these posters. |
| 68 | ** Even in America, it's easy to forget that Ejiofor is the star of the movie because he got overshadowed by the likes of such superstars as Fassbender, Pitt, and Creator/BenedictCumberbatch. Not helping matters was the fact that his also then-unknown co-star Creator/LupitaNyongo would go on to become far more popular than him in the wake of the movie's success. |
| 69 | * ''Film/AbsoluteBeginners'' (1986) properly billed Eddie O'Connell and Patsy Kensit as the leads, but third billing went to Music/DavidBowie, whose character is just one of several antagonists in on an evil scheme. He gets two short scenes and a longer segment focused on a DisneyAcidSequence. But he was by far the biggest name in the cast (even more so outside of the U.K.), and he also wrote and performed the movie's TitleThemeTune, so he was key to its promotional campaign. The theatrical trailer was really a VideoFullOfFilmClips with Bowie as the focus of its wraparound story. |
| 70 | * Creator/EliRoth got top billing in ''Aftershock'', [[spoiler: but gets killed off shortly after the film reaches the hour mark]]. The fifth billed Nicolás Martínez and the sixth billed Lorenza Izzo [[spoiler: survive longer than most of the actors billed above them, with Izzo even outlasting Martínez]]. |
| 71 | * Richard Boone is listed as a main actor on the DVD cover of ''Film/{{The Alamo|1960}}'', although he is listed as a "guest star" in the opening credits of the actual movie. Boone, starring as Sam Houston, has less than ten minutes of screentime: a monologue at the beginning where he entrusts Colonel William Travis to lead the defenders of the Alamo, and a brief bit near the end where he is informed by Smitty, one of the Alamo's messengers, that no help is coming. |
| 72 | * Creator/MiaWasikowska is the title character of ''Film/AliceInWonderland2010'', yet Creator/JohnnyDepp's Mad Hatter is billed before her. She gets it even worse in sequel ''Film/AliceThroughTheLookingGlass'', third in the credits (behind Depp and Creator/AnneHathaway) and ''fifth'' in the poster (both plus Helena Bonham Carter and [[PosthumousCredit the recently deceased]] Creator/AlanRickman). |
| 73 | * Music/AshleyTisdale is billed as one of the main characters in ''Film/AliensInTheAttic'' but she plays a supporting character who only becomes relevant to the main plot during the climax. |
| 74 | * Creator/EthanHawke is given star-billing in ''Film/{{Alive}}'', even though he spends the entire first act of the film unconscious and doesn't step up as a prominent character until about halfway into the film. Josh Hamilton, who is given third billing, has the largest role, while Bruce Ramsay, who is given fourth billing, has a role at least as big as Hawke's, if not larger. |
| 75 | * Creator/BillyCrudup was credited as the lead of ''Film/AlmostFamous'' but was hit by this trope from two different directions: first, that the actual lead character was William Miller played by Creator/PatrickFugit; and secondly, that Creator/KateHudson is now the actor most closely associated with the film (not to mention the one that graced the poster). |
| 76 | * The DVD cover for the crappy 90's thriller ''The Alternate'' has Music/IceT as one of the top billed actors and the ''only'' one featured on the DVD menu. This is despite his character disappearing from the plot fairly early on after getting knocked unconscious by Creator/EricRoberts. Like many of the cases on this page, it was likely due to Ice-T becoming a big star in the years after the movie was made. |
| 77 | * Although Creator/JaredLeto’s character’s death was pivotal to the story of ''Film/AmericanPsycho'', the character himself only appeared in 3 scenes. |
| 78 | * In ''Film/AnimalKingdom'', Creator/JoelEdgerton gets second billing despite [[spoiler: his character being killed off about 20 minutes in]]. |
| 79 | * Creator/MarlonBrando received top billing for ''Film/ApocalypseNow'', despite appearing in the film for less than ten minutes. Likewise, in the "Redux" re-release, at least (didn't see any trailers for the original), Creator/HarrisonFord got top billing despite appearing only briefly, in a minor role. The second-billed actor (who was also the only person to be nominated for an Oscar for their role in the film) was Creator/RobertDuvall as Lt. Colonel Kilgore, who is on screen for about 15 minutes out of a three-hour movie. The real star, Creator/MartinSheen (the narrator and the guy who's in nearly every scene), is billed ''third''. |
| 80 | * Creator/AlexBorstein gets a starring credit in ''Film/BadSanta'' her role is little more than a cameo as a mother waiting in line for Santa at the beginning. |
| 81 | * ''Film/BallsOfFury'' is sometimes mistakenly quoted as "Masi Oka's movie" (as can be seen [[http://wink.com/p/Masi_Oka here]]), despite the fact that he only plays a men's room attendant. |
| 82 | * Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger earned top billing for ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' despite playing the antagonist. (Not that this was the first time: Creator/JackNicholson is the first name in both the poster and the opening credits of ''Film/Batman1989''... though not the closing credits, as Creator/MichaelKeaton is listed first.) |
| 83 | * The Independent Film Channel advertised ''Before Night Falls'' as "starring Creator/JohnnyDepp", when in fact he only appears in three scenes. |
| 84 | * Creator/DrewBarrymore is top-billed in the animal film ''Film/BigMiracle'' but second-billed Creator/JohnKrasinski is the actual main character, a news reporter who breaks the news story that drives the plot. |
| 85 | * Something of an example occurs with ''Film/TheBigShort'', which lists, in alphabetical order, Creator/ChristianBale, Creator/SteveCarell, Creator/RyanGosling and Creator/BradPitt as its four principle actors. It is an ensemble cast, though Bale, Carell and Gosling are the leads of their respective storylines, while Pitt is just the mentor figure to the characters played by John Magaro and Finn Whitrock. However, if you've got Brad Pitt in your movie, you give him above-the-title billing (and it helps that he was one of the film's producers). |
| 86 | * Averted in ''Film/TheBigYear''. Creator/SteveMartin, Creator/JackBlack and Creator/OwenWilson get equal billing above the title so to avoid the trope. |
| 87 | * Despite playing the title character in ''Film/BillyBathgate'', Loren Dean is billed fourth behind Creator/DustinHoffman and Creator/NicoleKidman. |
| 88 | * ''Blunt: The Third Man'', a British TV movie from the '80s. The video had a big photo of Creator/AnthonyHopkins on the cover, so the viewer might presume Hopkins was playing Blunt. Turns out Creator/IanRichardson played Blunt (a real-life Soviet spy), and Hopkins was a supporting character, but Richardson never played Hannibal Lecter, and Hopkins did, so they put Hopkins on the cover. |
| 89 | * The Italian comedy ''Bodyguards - Guardie del corpo'' gives Creator/CindyCrawford third-billing, but she doesn't appear until the last 30 minutes. |
| 90 | * Creator/JoanAllen and Creator/AlbertFinney in ''Film/TheBourneLegacy''. Albert Finney isn't even in the movie, save one piece of archive footage. |
| 91 | * Perhaps understandably the posters for ''Film/{{Bridesmaids}}'' really ran with the bridesmaids theme, depicting all five of them (plus the bride) which was why male lead Creator/ChrisODowd (Officer Rhodes) doesn't appear, despite playing a more important character than Creator/WendiMcLendonCovey (Rita) or Creator/EllieKemper (Becca). |
| 92 | * In many of ''Film/{{Bunraku}}'s'' advertisements, Music/{{Gackt}} gets billed behind Creator/WoodyHarrelson, Creator/DemiMoore and Creator/RonPerlman. The latter three do play significant roles, but Music/{{Gackt}} is one of the main protagonists. In some ads, he doesn't even get ''any'' mention. Presumably, this is because Music/{{Gackt}} is a fairly unknown celebrity in the West, but the lack of recognition for one of the film's two ''main heroes'' is definitely noticeable. |
| 93 | ** Additionally, the blurbs for the film imply that Creator/DemiMoore's character is TheDragon or [[TheManBehindTheMan The Power Behind the Throne]]. In fact she's more like the BigBad's MoralityPet, and though important, her character is nearly powerless in the plot. |
| 94 | * The DVD box of Creator/BradleyCooper's ''Burnt'' includes Creator/AliciaVikander and Creator/UmaThurman, both of whom only have two scenes in the movie. |
| 95 | * Home video releases of ''Film/Carrie1976'' have Creator/JohnTravolta given top billing alongside Creator/SissySpacek, even though his character was a fairly minor one. |
| 96 | * ''Film/CarryOnSeries'': |
| 97 | ** ''Film/CarryOnRegardless'': When the film was released on Blu-Ray in Australia, Patrick Cargill and Creator/JoanHickson were given mentions on the back of the box despite only playing bit roles. |
| 98 | ** ''Film/CarryOnCabby'': While Anthea is only a minor character in the film, Creator/AmandaBarrie is given a prominent place in the centre of the film's poster. |
| 99 | ** ''Film/CarryOnCleo'': Also from the Australian Blu-Ray; Creator/WarrenMitchell and Creator/JonPertwee were given mentions on the back of the box despite only playing small roles. |
| 100 | ** ''Film/DontLoseYourHead'': Despite only playing a small role (Citizen Robespierre, to be exact), ''The Classic Carry On Film Collection'' DVD boxset lists Creator/PeterGilmore alongside the film's stars. |
| 101 | ** ''Film/FollowThatCamel'': Creator/AnitaHarris was listed among the stars of the film for the original VHS release, despite only playing a supporting role. |
| 102 | ** ''Film/CarryOnAgainDoctor'': |
| 103 | *** Creator/SidJames gets top billing, as he did in almost every ''Carry On'' film in which he appeared, but he doesn't appear in the film for the first time until almost the halfway mark. |
| 104 | *** Creator/PatsyRowlands was added to the list of stars on the original VHS release as despite playing a small role here, she would be a familiar face in the series for the next six years. |
| 105 | ** ''Film/CarryOnUpTheJungle'': ''The Classic Carry On Film Collection'' DVD boxset adds Creator/JackiPiper, Creator/ValerieLeon, and Rueben Martin to the list of stars despite them playing less prominent roles compared to the rest. |
| 106 | ** ''Film/CarryOnHenry'': Creator/JulianHolloway was added to the list of stars on the original VHS release and ''The Classic Carry On Film Collection'' DVD boxset despite only playing a supporting role. |
| 107 | ** ''Film/CarryOnAbroad'': Despite playing such small roles, Creator/JackDouglas and Patsy Rowlands are added to the list of stars on the original VHS release as they had more prominent roles in other films in the series. |
| 108 | ** ''Film/CarryOnGirls'': Creator/PeterButterworth, Patsy Rowlands, and Jack Douglas were all added to the list of stars in the film's trailer and on the original VHS release. While this makes sense seeing as the three played rather large roles, Joan Hickson and {{Creator/David Lodge|BritishActor}} being including in the trailer doesn't as the two of them are barely in the film. |
| 109 | ** ''Film/CarryOnDick'': Creator/BillMaynard was added to the list of stars on the original VHS release despite playing a supporting role to capitalise on his fame on TV. |
| 110 | ** ''Film/CarryOnEngland'': Despite only playing a supporting role, Creator/DianeLangton was given billing above ''Carry On'' regulars Creator/JoanSims and Peter Butterworth on the original VHS release. |
| 111 | * ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'' features as an added extra that a rather large number of characters are all renamed "James Bond". Everyone remembers Creator/WoodyAllen and Creator/PeterSellers between them stealing the show. The intended star of the film was [[spoiler:Creator/DavidNiven]]. So memorable was his performance, that most people's reaction to hearing this is "Oh, was he in it?" Creator/JeanPaulBelmondo also is credited as one of the main actors. His character, however, is a foreign legionnaire who only appears in a short mass scene near the end of the movie. |
| 112 | * The DVD for ''Film/{{Chaplin}}'' with Creator/RobertDowneyJr mentions it starring "the stunning Creator/MarisaTomei" despite her having roughly seven minutes of screentime. |
| 113 | * In ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', Missi Pyle and James Fox get co-star billing whereas Adam Godley and Franziska Troegner are given double-card instead. And while Creator/FreddieHighmore is billed second, the other kids are all on the double-card. |
| 114 | * ''Film/TheChargeOfTheLightBrigade'''s protagonist is David Hemmings as Captain Nolan. He's listed ''sixth'' on the credits, behind Creator/TrevorHoward, Creator/VanessaRedgrave, Creator/JohnGielgud, Harry Andrews and Jill Bennett. While this can be justified under the seniority principle, Hemmings has far more screen time than all but Howard. |
| 115 | * The 2006 film version of ''Charlotte's Web'' bills the film's entire large and prestigious voice cast- except for Dominic Scott Kay, who voiced Wilbur. To be fair, he is just a kid who hasn't done any other movies, but it seems a little harsh to completely ignore the person who is, by all definition, the star of the movie. |
| 116 | * ''Film/ChildrenOfMen'' bills Creator/CliveOwen, Creator/JulianneMoore, and Creator/MichaelCaine as its main stars. In actuality [[spoiler:Julianne Moore's character gets shot through the throat and dies about 30 minutes into the film, while Michael Caine only has two scenes, and dies at the end of the second]]. To be fair, they did at least have the decency to bill Clive Owen above the two of them, seeing as he is actually the main character and [[spoiler:unlike the others who die early on, Theo actually makes it through most of the film and only dies from a gunshot wound in the last few minutes]]. |
| 117 | * ''Literature/ChristianeF'': Some film posters and DVD covers of the movie adaptation play up the fact that Music/DavidBowie appears in the film, in some cases even showing him more prominently than the main character about whom the story revolves. And that while Bowie was only a minor reference in the original book, when Christiane mentioned that she visited a concert of his. In the film, however, a long scene shows her attending a concert of his where he performs two of his hits. The entire story is interrupted a while for this moment PanderingToTheBase. That said it's about all of the famous singer seen in the entire film. |
| 118 | * Creator/ChristopherLee is always billed as the star of ''Film/CircusOfFear'' (usually followed by Creator/KlausKinski), but his role is comparatively minor and the central character is actually Inspector Elliot, played by Leo Genn. |
| 119 | * A Canadian television reporter once made a reference to the then-new-release ''Film/ClearAndPresentDanger'', introducing it as “starring Creator/WillemDafoe”. However, Creator/HarrisonFord is the star of this movie, and its predecessor, ''Film/PatriotGames''. Dafoe's character was prominent, but not the lead by any stretch. |
| 120 | * ''Film/{{Collateral}}''. Creator/JamieFoxx is on the screen for almost the entire movie, but Creator/TomCruise was billed as the lead. Foxx, like Hawke, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, though this was arguably to avoid vote interference with his performance in the biopic ''Film/{{Ray}}'', for which he won the Best Actor Oscar that year. |
| 121 | ** Ironically, a lot of people thought Cruise would have been a lock for Best Supporting Actor if he had been billed correctly (as his role as a cold-blooded killer was [[PlayingAgainstType so different]] from his usual performances). |
| 122 | * For a Creator/DisneyChannel (in the UK) premiere screening of ''Film/ConfessionsOfATeenageDramaQueen'' in 2012, Creator/MeganFox and Adam Garcia were billed first, with the film's actual star Creator/LindsayLohan given AndStarring treatment (despite Lohan having the most footage in the ''trailer''). |
| 123 | * ''Film/DeathRace2000'' featured Creator/DavidCarradine in his first post-''Series/KungFu1972'' 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. |
| 124 | * One of the big reasons the 1983 film ''Film/DCCab'' bombed was that it was marketed as a Creator/MrT vehicle, despite the fact that Mr. T's character was peripheral at best. It got so bad that in some other countries, it was called "Mr. T and Company". The Turkish poster doesn't even bother describing the plot, consisting solely of ''[[https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4082/4923761987_e4cafe598b_b.jpg a drawing of Mr. T.]]'' |
| 125 | * Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse: |
| 126 | ** 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. |
| 127 | *** 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. |
| 128 | ** Creator/RobinWright gets third billing in ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' despite her character getting killed off 15 minutes into the film. |
| 129 | *** 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. |
| 130 | ** ''[[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. |
| 131 | ** All over the place in ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'': |
| 132 | *** Creator/HenryCavill is billed second. While Superman is a very important role, he's almost entirely absent from the first half and a more supporting presence compared to the other League members when he's resurrected later on. |
| 133 | *** Creator/AmyAdams comes in third even though Lois Lane only comes into focus in the second half, and even then, her role is fairly small. |
| 134 | *** Creator/RayFisher is bumped up to fifth billing from the theatrical cut thanks to his much larger role here. Still, given the sheer amount of focus Cyborg gets, second billing would be more appropriate. |
| 135 | *** Creator/CiaranHinds plays the BigBad who has a consistent presence and many scenes dedicated to him, arguably being the largest role outside of the Justice League except for maybe Creator/JeremyIrons. His name pops up after several actors in minor roles like Creator/DianeLane and Creator/JKSimmons, and he doesn't even get an individual credit, sharing it with Ryan Zheng, who plays another minor role. |
| 136 | *** The aforementioned Irons is billed behind Creator/WillemDafoe and Creator/JesseEisenberg, even though they both only make brief appearances while Irons is present throughout and far more important. |
| 137 | *** Creator/ConnieNielsen, while not a large role, still gets a decent amount of screentime and action near the beginning. She gets billed behind the previously mentioned brief appearances by Dafoe, Eisenberg and Lane. |
| 138 | *** Eisenberg getting an individual credit at all - much less as early as it is - stands out, as he has a mere two scenes. One is just second long with no dialogue. The other is no more than two minutes and completely unconnected to the plot. |
| 139 | *** Creator/JoeMorton plays a frequently recurring character who is very important to the plot, but gets booted down to sharing his credit with Creator/AmberHeard, who only has one major scene and a few smaller moments. |
| 140 | *** Lisa Loven Kongsli isn't much more than an extra and Creator/DavidThewlis's appearance is one where you'll miss it by blinking, yet they manage to be the third and last pair to get shared credits in the opening. |
| 141 | ** In ''Film/BlackAdam2022'', after the title character comes Creator/AldisHodge, Creator/NoahCentineo and Creator/SarahShahi. The second is justifiable for playing the well-known ComicBook/{{Hawkman}} and having a sizeable role, but not so much for the third, as Atom Smasher is a fairly minor presence mostly used for comic relief, while Shahi's Adrianna Tomaz has much more screentime and plot importance. |
| 142 | * ''Film/TheDebt''. Creator/JessicaChastain is billed third (behind Creator/HelenMirren and Creator/SamWorthington) despite having the most scenes. Mirren does play the older version of her character so that would likely explain her higher billing. |
| 143 | * The star of the SpaghettiWestern ''Film/TheDeserter'' is Yugoslav actor Bekim Fehmiu, and he was billed this on the original posters. However, all recent releases in the English speaking world give top billing to Creator/ChuckConnors and Richard Crenna, with poor Bekhim appearing at the end of the cast list (if he appears at all). |
| 144 | * ''Film/DoctorSeries'': |
| 145 | ** Kay Kendall is given fifth billing in ''Film/DoctorInTheHouse1954'' ahead of Creator/JamesRobertsonJustice and Creator/DonaldHouston despite having far less screentime than the two of them. |
| 146 | ** ''Film/DoctorAtSea'''s Australian DVD release places Creator/JoanSims at the end of the list of stars to capitalise on her fame in the ''Film/CarryOnSeries'', despite the fact she disappears from the film before the ten-minute mark! |
| 147 | ** ''Film/DoctorInLove'': The poster and trailer list Joan Sims, Creator/LizFraser, and Reginald Beckwith after the stars, despite the fact they only play supporting roles and have no real effect on the plot. |
| 148 | ** ''Film/DoctorInDistress1963'''s Australian DVD places Creator/LeoMcKern at the end of the list of stars to capitalise on the fact that he is an Australian actor, despite the fact he only plays a supporting role with one scene. |
| 149 | ** ''Film/DoctorInClover'': |
| 150 | *** Despite having third billing, Shirley Anne Field only appears in four scenes, with three of them coming in before the 40-minute mark. |
| 151 | *** Creator/FenellaFielding also receives star billing, despite disappearing from the film after the 40-minute mark. |
| 152 | *** Creator/EricBarker is another one with barely any screen time (only two short scenes) who still gets a star billing. |
| 153 | *** Robert Hutton, Creator/TerryScott, and Norman Vaughan receive star billing with only one scene each. |
| 154 | ** ''Film/DoctorInTrouble'': |
| 155 | *** Despite having his role cut down to only one scene, Creator/JamesRobertsonJustice is still given third billing for his loyal service to the ''Doctor'' films. |
| 156 | *** Joan Sims is given star billing despite first appearing in the last ten minutes. |
| 157 | *** One poster adds Creator/JackiPiper to the list of stars despite the fact she only appears in the final scene. |
| 158 | *** The trailer has Fred Emney listed with the stars despite the fact he has precious little to do in the actual film. |
| 159 | * ''Film/DoctorZhivago'' is another case of alphabetical billing, with leading actor Creator/OmarSharif listed seventh on the opening credits despite being a) clearly the central character, b) a bigger name than most of his costars. |
| 160 | * Creator/SamuelLJackson, appears on the DVD cover of the film ''Film/DefByTemptation'' despite having only two minutes of screentime. This was done by Troma (who distributed the film), attempting to cash in on the popularity of a big-name actor, who wasn't such a big name at the time. |
| 161 | * Music/JenniferHudson was nominated (and the winner) in the supporting category for ''{{Theatre/Dreamgirls}}'' despite being the main character, since she did not get top billing, although she did get a huge "And Introducing" credit at the end. In a case of LifeImitatesArt, Music/{{Beyonce}} Knowles, whose character steals top billing from Hudson's character, was the movie's top-billed actress (alongside Creator/JamieFoxx and Creator/EddieMurphy). |
| 162 | * Commercials for ''Film/ADryWhiteSeason'' played up Creator/MarlonBrando's short appearance as a lawyer in court, despite it starring Creator/DonaldSutherland and Creator/ZakesMokae. |
| 163 | * A bizarre case in ''Film/EasyA''. Though Creator/EmmaStone is billed first in all advertising and plays the lead, she is billed last in the actual film (getting an AndStarring credit - to be fair, the credit shows up just as her character who had been doing voiceovers appears physically too). |
| 164 | * At least one VHS release for the Creator/BrendanFraser film ''Film/EncinoMan'' makes it seem as though the film is about Creator/PaulyShore's relationship with an unfrozen caveman he finds in his backyard, and the wacky hijinks that ensue. Pauly Shore is actually a supporting character, with Creator/SeanAstin's character having more of a central focus with the relationship to Fraser's Link. Astin is barely mentioned on this cover. Naturally, this release preceded Astin's more recent recognition due to ''Film/{{Rudy}}'' and ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''. |
| 165 | * ''Film/TheEnglishPatient'' bills Creator/JulietteBinoche and Creator/WillemDafoe before Creator/KristinScottThomas. The film's main plot concerns the forbidden romance between her character and first-billed Creator/RalphFiennes. Binoche and Dafoe, despite a good deal of screen time, only appear in the movie's FramingDevice. The Academy did not make the same mistake; Scott Thomas was nominated for Best Actress and Binoche was nominated for Best Supporting Actress (which she won). |
| 166 | * Porn star Jenna Jameson receives top billing in ''Film/EvilBreedTheLegendOfSamhain'' despite being an AdvertisedExtra with only a few minutes screen time: coming in above the actual lead actors of Chasey Lain, Bobbie Phillips and Howard Rosenstein. |
| 167 | * Advertising for ''Film/ExecutiveDecision'' gave equal billing to Creator/KurtRussell and Creator/StevenSeagal, despite Seagal having a relatively minor role and not even being cited in the opening credits. This may have been a deliberate decision to [[spoiler:throw the audience off when Seagal is killed off very quickly.]] |
| 168 | * Creator/MaxVonSydow is billed second in ''Film/TheExorcist'' despite only appearing in the prologue and the last twenty minutes of the movie. Creator/LindaBlair and Jason Miller are the main focus of the movie and billed under von Sydow, the reason for this being that neither actor was well-known at the time (Blair had only appeared in two movies before this and Miller was a stage actor). |
| 169 | * The AllStarCast nature of ''Film/TheExpendables'' and its sequels leads to some. |
| 170 | ** Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger was confirmed to only have one scene, yet he was featured in the trailers as if he's a leading man. However he is not shown or mentioned on the DVD cover, unlike Creator/BruceWillis who is on the cover but only has a second "scene" in the form of showing up as a picture on a computer screen. |
| 171 | ** The British posters (but not the American ones) prominently feature both Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, even though they both only appear in one scene [[spoiler:and neither is fully seen in the same shot as the other]] and aren't credited. |
| 172 | ** A secondary Creator/MickeyRourke character and an uncredited Creator/BruceWillis cameo are played up in the poster, and only the first four names are in the same order of the credits (the fifth is antagonist Creator/EricRoberts). |
| 173 | ** Creator/JetLi was billed third in the [[Film/TheExpendables2 first sequel]], despite only appearing in the opening scene. Meanwhile, the little-known Nan Yu, who has a significant amount of screentime, is billed no less than thirteenth. |
| 174 | ** ''Film/TheExpendables3'' still has Creator/JetLi billed third even if his character leaves early in the movie. And the fifth and sixth listed are minor appearances by Creator/HarrisonFord and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger, followed by the film's antagonist Creator/MelGibson (though Gibson's smeared reputation probably helped him get lower). |
| 175 | * ''Film/ExtremelyLoudAndIncrediblyClose'' has Creator/TomHanks and Creator/SandraBullock billed above the title, in that order. Their combined screentime is easily less than half the movie, and Hanks's character [[spoiler: spends a majority of the film dead, as he died on 9/11, and the film is about his family dealing with his death]]. Most of the film focuses on their son, played by Thomas Horn, looking for a lock that fits the mysterious key his father left behind. A look at the billing makes you think it focuses on Hanks and Bullock. |
| 176 | * Surprisingly averted or even subverted in Creator/JasonBateman flick ''Film/{{Extract}}''. Creator/BenAffleck has a reasonably big role and is probably the most famous actor in the film but does not appear on the theatrical posters while less famous actors Creator/JKSimmons and David Koechner do despite playing characters with less screen time. |
| 177 | * Advertising for ''Film/EyesWideShut'' give Creator/StanleyKubrick third billing after Creator/TomCruise and Creator/NicoleKidman, despite the fact that he's ''not even in the film at all''. This was most likely done to stress the importance of the film being the legendary director's last, being released after he passed away. |
| 178 | ** For actual actors, Marie Richardson is billed fourth despite only appearing in one scene. |
| 179 | * R&B star Music/{{Usher}} is featured prominently on the poster for ''Film/TheFaculty'' despite his role being a glorified cameo. |
| 180 | * ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'': |
| 181 | ** ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious2001'' is mainly remembered as a Creator/VinDiesel flick, although the main character was actually the role played by Creator/PaulWalker. |
| 182 | ** In ''Film/FastAndFurious'', Creator/MichelleRodriguez gets top billing with Creator/JordanaBrewster, Creator/VinDiesel, and Creator/PaulWalker, [[spoiler:but Rodriguez gets about five minutes of screentime before [[DroppedABridgeOnHim getting the bridge dropped on her]].]] |
| 183 | * The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJPrucLsrZQ trailer]] (and more than one poster) of Abel Fererra's ''Film/FearCity'' misrepresents Creator/BillyDeeWilliams as a hard-edge cop trying to solve a bunch of UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper-type murders taking place in New York City, and Creator/TomBerenger as the apparent psychopath killer. Berenger is actually the main character, Williams is a SympatheticInspectorAntagonist, and the killer is an unmentioned third party, none of which is ever unclear in the movie. |
| 184 | * ''Film/AFewGoodMen'': Creator/NoahWyle of ''Series/{{ER}}'' had a small part. When the movie was aired on NBC, at the height of ''ER''[='s=] popularity, he was included in the promos along with Creator/TomCruise and Creator/DemiMoore. |
| 185 | * ''Film/FightClub'' is about Creator/BradPitt starting up a club where men beat each other up, and also sharing a few scenes of dysfunctional romance with Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. At least, that's what the ads and DVD cover make it look like, both of them billing Pitt first, as do the opening credits. Actually, the film’s focus is Creator/EdwardNorton's (unnamed) character. Pitt doesn’t even show up for about twenty minutes and appears in about 38% of the film (less than an hour on screen). Near the end, we learn he's really [[spoiler: just a visual manifestation of Norton's fractured psyche, not even a real person]]. |
| 186 | * ''Film/FightingWithMyFamily'' has Creator/JackLowden billed fourth below his on-screen parents Creator/LenaHeadey and Creator/NickFrost despite being the film's {{Deuteragonist}}. Producer Wrestling/DwayneJohnson is also [[WolverinePublicity front and center in posters and trailers]] along with lead Creator/FlorencePugh. |
| 187 | * The video packaging for some editions of ''Film/TheFirstNudieMusical'' claim that the film stars Creator/RonHoward. He only appears briefly in one scene. |
| 188 | * The urban film ''Film/FirstSunday'' has Creator/TracyMorgan billed below Katt Williams despite Morgan having far more scenes and being more well known than Williams. |
| 189 | * ''Film/TheFlintstones'': The film debuted on Creator/{{ABC}} soon after ''[[Creator/RosieODonnell The Rosie O'Donnell Show]]'' took off, so promos often gave her top billing, at least if Creator/JohnGoodman wasn't billed first. |
| 190 | * The Aussie coming-of-age comedy ''Flirting'' stars Creator/NoahTaylor and Creator/ThandiweNewton, 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. |
| 191 | * Though ''Film/FlyingDownToRio'' is now remembered as the first of the Creator/FredAstaire[=/=]Creator/GingerRogers movies (and is advertised as such to modern audiences), they were only the BetaCouple of the movie; Creator/DoloresDelRio was the star. |
| 192 | ** This was also the only film where Creator/GingerRogers was billed above Creator/FredAstaire even though he had far more scenes and one more dance number. |
| 193 | * ''Film/TheForbiddenKingdom'' was advertised as starring Creator/JackieChan and Creator/JetLi (who both play supporting characters), not even mentioning Michael Angarano, who played the main protagonist. The [[NeverTrustATrailer trailers]] barely even featured him, marketing the film as a "Chan vs Li" showdown rather than the old kid-transported-to-ancient-time standby. |
| 194 | * On the poster for Creator/ClarenceBrown's ''Film/AFreeSoul'', Creator/NormaShearer is correctly billed above the title, while Creator/LeslieHoward is billed immediately under it, followed by Creator/LionelBarrymore, James Gleason and, finally, Creator/ClarkGable. While Shearer is the title character, the main plot concerns her forbidden romance with Gable, who is essentially the third lead, or most prominent supporting role. Barrymore is the male lead as Shearer's drunk father, a lawyer who defended Gable in court but knows about Gable's mob connections, and spends the movie trying to split them up while wasting away from his condition. Howard plays the man Shearer was once, essentially, promised to, but never loved, and Gleason has a pretty minor supporting role as Barrymore's assistant. By prominence, billing should have gone Shearer, Barrymore, Gable, Howard, Gleason. |
| 195 | * The film ''Film/{{Fresh}}'' is a borderline case, as Creator/SamuelLJackson kinda plays a big role, but only has a few scenes. Yet he's given a big part on the poster. |
| 196 | * The big-screen version of ''Film/TheFugitive'' was originally supposed to feature Creator/JulianneMoore as Creator/HarrisonFord's love interest. It was eventually decided to reduce her role to a bit part, but Moore still got fourth billing despite only having a couple minutes of screen time. |
| 197 | * Creator/AdamBaldwin's role in ''Film/FullMetalJacket'' has been played up on DVD covers a lot more since ''Series/{{Firefly}}''. |
| 198 | [[/folder]] |
| 199 | |
| 200 | [[folder:G-M]] |
| 201 | * Creator/MckennaGrace plays the main character of ''Film/GhostbustersAfterlife'', but is third in the title credits and fourth in the ending credits. |
| 202 | ** Also, Creator/BillMurray is billed above Creator/DanAykroyd, despite the latter appearing more. |
| 203 | * ''Film/TheGhostAndTheDarkness'' gave Creator/MichaelDouglas top billing despite Creator/ValKilmer being in the lead role. Douglas taking over as producer had a lot to do with that. |
| 204 | * ''Film/{{Go}}'' is mostly seen as either a Creator/KatieHolmes or Creator/SarahPolley flick, when it is actually a TwoLinesNoWaiting ensemble. Polley is actually the lead character of one segment but Holmes is a fairly minor character. |
| 205 | * It is easy to forget that ''Film/TheGodfather'' actually features Creator/AlPacino as the main character, because the poster features Creator/MarlonBrando, who receives top billing even though his screen time is less than that of Pacino (who gets the second billing). |
| 206 | ** Ironically overlaps with AwardCategoryFraud, as Pacino was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, while Brando won the Academy Award for Best Actor. For this reason, Pacino refused to attend the ceremony. |
| 207 | ** It also gives Creator/SterlingHayden (who has a secondary role and less than 10 minutes of screen time as Captain [=McCluskey=]) and John Marley (who played Jack Woltz, with only about 10 minutes of screen time in a scene, that, while memorable, has little connection to the main overarching story) higher billing than Creator/DianeKeaton, who plays the significant role of Kay. Other actors in more significant roles such as Creator/AbeVigoda, Creator/TaliaShire, and Creator/JohnCazale are relegated to the supporting cast. |
| 208 | * When ''God's Little Acre'' was first released in 1958, Michael Landon, who played a minor character and who appeared in just a few scenes, was billed tenth. For the film's re-release in 1967, after Landon had achieved widespread fame through his role in ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'', he was bumped up to second billing. |
| 209 | * Creator/JulietteBinoche is billed fourth in the opening credits of ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'', despite having less than ten minutes of screentime. [[spoiler: Not to mention having her character killed off early in the movie.]] |
| 210 | * In ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/EvaGreen and Creator/SamElliott are billed before Dakota Blue Richards who plays the main character. Quite confusing when you realize Eva Green has about two scenes and Sam Elliot has around 20 minutes while Nicole Kidman plays the villain who all but disappears during the second act. Creator/DanielCraig is also billed before Creator/IanMcKellen despite Craig having around 10 minutes screen time and [=McKellen=] playing [[CelebrityVoiceActor the voice of]] one of the film's heroes. |
| 211 | * Creator/RobertDeNiro gets first billing in ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'' even though Creator/RayLiotta is very clearly the main character. Scorsese's later mafia film, ''Film/TheDeparted'', also gave Creator/LeonardoDicaprio first billing over Creator/MattDamon, who has the larger role of the two. |
| 212 | * Filipino actor Cesar Montano was given prominent billing when the 2005 UsefulNotes/WorldWarII film ''Film/TheGreatRaid'' was released in his home country, despite him being a supporting character at best. |
| 213 | * Fourth-billed Sam Jaffe played the title character in ''Film/GungaDin''. |
| 214 | * Creator/MarkHamill gets top billing in the first of the live-action ''Film/{{Guyver}}'' movies, despite the fact that he plays a supporting character who gets killed off near the end. |
| 215 | * While a main character, Creator/AngelinaJolie's name didn't appear on the cover of ''Film/{{Hackers}}'' until after she'd become famous from other roles. She is, however, a prominent character. |
| 216 | * The ''Film/{{Hairspray|2007}}'' remake counts, as it was advertised starring Creator/JohnTravolta (in drag!). Creator/NikkiBlonsky gets an "[[AndStarring And Introducing]]" after the long list of all the other celebrities "starring" in the movie. The visual extension of this trope is on the soundtrack cover, which uses pictures of the characters. An odd side effect of this is that the only teenage character above the title is Creator/AmandaBynes, with Creator/BrittanySnow, Creator/ElijahKelly, Creator/ZacEfron, and Creator/NikkiBlonsky underneath it (and Bynes and Snow [[DawsonCasting were 20]] when they shot the movie). |
| 217 | * Creator/JamieLeeCurtis has top billing in ''Film/HalloweenResurrection'', but [[spoiler:it doesn't stop her character from being a DecoyProtagonist]]. |
| 218 | * The 1996 version of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' features a number of big name stars in glorified cameos. Creator/RobinWilliams got his name on the poster, but only played Osric, an extremely minor character whose few minutes of screentime are spent mostly delivering messages. |
| 219 | ** Creator/BillyCrystal plays the first grave-digger; one scene, lasting about five minutes. Creator/GerardDepardieu is even worse. He plays Reynaldo, a character usually ''left out'' since he only has one very short scene, and it has little if anything to do with the main plot. Both men get their names on the poster. Creator/RichardBriers, Creator/BrianBlessed, Nicholas Farrell and Michael Maloney, who play the large and/or pivotal roles of Polonius, the Ghost of Hamlet's father, Horatio and Laertes, do not. |
| 220 | * In ''Film/TheHangoverPartII'' Creator/JeffreyTambor is billed below the leads but still above the likes of Creator/JamieChung despite having less than three minutes of screentime. |
| 221 | * The billing in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' movies always goes: Creator/DanielRadcliffe, Creator/RupertGrint, Creator/EmmaWatson, major adult actors in alphabetical order, then the supporting actors on double-cards, also in alphabetical order. Whether they get in the first alphabetical list or the second is determined by the value of the ''actor'', not the character; given the series' many [[ClassicallyTrainedExtra huge celebrities in supporting roles]], it's typical for those getting top billing to have only a minute or so of screentime. |
| 222 | ** The alphabetical order also leads to a few oddities, such as Creator/JulieChristie and Creator/JohnCleese being billed near the front despite being essentially cameos, while major players such as Creator/AlanRickman, Creator/MaggieSmith, and Creator/DavidThewlis end up nearer to the end. Extreme key players like Creator/JulieWalters, Mark Williams, and Creator/BonnieWright always end up near the ''very'' end, as they're on the double-cards despite their prominence. Creator/TomFelton is buried amidst the supporting actors regardless of how big or small his role is. |
| 223 | ** Creator/BonnieWright started being billed in the sixth film, and James and Oliver Phelps received the same promotion in the eighth. Many other Hogwarts students had increased roles as the series went on, but only these three got such a treatment. Creator/MatthewLewis and Creator/EvannaLynch, for example, never made it onto the bill. |
| 224 | ** Young Tom Riddle's actor, Christian Coulson wasn't billed ''at all'' for "Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberofSecrets" - he was credited, but not billed, even though he was portraying the main antagonist of the film with a sizeable amount of screentime. Similarly, Creator/TobyJones wasn't billed for voicing Dobby, though he'd later receive billing in the 7th film. |
| 225 | ** Creator/DavidTennant also wasn't billed for ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' despite being both a major actor and having a pretty prominent character. In addition, the three Triwizard champions Stanislav Ianevski, Creator/RobertPattinson, and Creator/ClemencePoesy got a triple-card at the very end of the bill... though the three of them were in alphabetical order with ''each other'', which resulted in the extremely-prominent Pattinson being squeezed between the other two, who were barely in the movie at all. |
| 226 | ** George Harris was billed in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'', but none of the subsequent films in which he appeared. |
| 227 | ** On the movie posters and DVD covers (as well as ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets''), Creator/WarwickDavis and Creator/JulieWalters get credited in the main portion despite being among the supporting-actor credits in the films proper. The posters and covers for ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' only listed actors who had been in previous films - therefore, Creator/RichardGriffiths and Creator/FionaShaw made it onto the poster despite their mere seconds of screentime, while newcomers Creator/BillNighy, Creator/RhysIfans, and Creator/KellyMacdonald didn't. |
| 228 | * A subversion: While Creator/BenStiller had a major role in ''Film/{{Heavyweights}}'', his image wasn't initially on the film poster. However, with the 2012 Blu-ray re-release, a photo of his character has been superimposed on the cover (and larger than the pre-teen characters), obviously because of his fame ever since the movie came out in 1995. |
| 229 | * Almost any recent copy of the thriller ''Film/HeKnowsYoureAlone'' is guaranteed to feature, prominently displayed somewhere on the cover, a credit along the lines of "Starring Creator/TomHanks" in spite of the fact he's a rather minor character with less than five minutes screen time. Better versions bill it as "Tom Hanks in his first movie role," which is technically the truth. |
| 230 | * Creator/MartinFreeman, who played Arthur Dent (the main character) in ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005'', was listed fourth in the opening credits. |
| 231 | ** It happened to him once again on ''Film/TheHobbit'', where he is the title character but only got second billing after Creator/IanMcKellen. |
| 232 | * The home media releases of ''Film/HobokenHollow'' give Creator/MichaelMadsen, who plays a supporting role, a much greater prominence than his role would merit. The opening credits of the actual movie place his name much further down the list. |
| 233 | * ''Film/TheHole'' stars Creator/ThoraBirch, and has Creator/KeiraKnightley (in one of her first roles) as a minor character who is billed 4th or 5th. Birch is the protagonist, and is in almost every scene. But the [[http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0000ARD7T DVD cover]] makes it look like Knightley is the star. When the film was shown on British TV channel E4 the trailer's narrator said it starred "Keira Knightley and whatsherface from ''Film/AmericanBeauty''". |
| 234 | * In ''Film/{{Holes}}'', Creator/SigourneyWeaver and Creator/JonVoight get top billing above Creator/ShiaLaBeouf, who is the lead. Might be understandable since it was his first film role and that Weaver has an equally important role as the BigBad. |
| 235 | * When Creator/ABCFamily showed ''Film/HomeAlone3'', they advertised it like Creator/ScarlettJohansson was the star, despite the fact that Johansson was a minor character in the film and had about 5 to 10 minutes of screen time. To quote one of the trailers "Scarlett Johansson is taking on the bad guys." |
| 236 | * Creator/JamesCaan is listed first for ''Film/HoneymoonInVegas'' instead of Creator/NicolasCage, who plays the main protagonist and has more screentime than Caan. |
| 237 | * In ''Film/HopeFloats'' Kathy Najimy gets a card to herself during the opening credits despite her ''only'' scene in the film being the very first one - which, in fact, comes before said opening credits. On the other hand, Creator/RosannaArquette (who also only has one scene in the film - the same scene, in fact) goes uncredited. |
| 238 | * ''Film/HouseOfWhipcord'': Barbara Markham (Margaret) and Patrick Barr (Justice Bailey) are billed first, even though Anne Marie and Julia are the film's protagonists. Creator/PennyIrving is given the 'And Introducing' credit, but Ann Michelle is billed after Creator/RayBrooks, who plays the lesser role of her boyfriend Tony but was also more recognisable for ''Series/CoronationStree''t and ''Series/TheKnackAndHowToGetIt''. |
| 239 | * Fourth-billed Creator/EmmaThompson is one of two characters given central focus in the film ''Film/HowardsEnd'', the other being Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Creator/AnthonyHopkins and Creator/VanessaRedgrave are both billed ahead of them. As with ''The English Patient'', the Academy got it right, nominating Thompson for Best Actress (which she won) and Redgrave for Best Supporting Actress. |
| 240 | * Richard Lester's 1966 [[WarIsHell anti-war]] film ''How I Won the War'' stars a very young Creator/MichaelCrawford in the lead role. The movie is best known for being Music/JohnLennon's first dramatic, non-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] role as Private Gripweed, a relatively minor role. |
| 241 | * Neary all the trailers for ''Film/{{Hugo}}'' made it look like Creator/JudeLaw's character played a major role. In reality, he's a DisappearedDad who only appears in a short sequence of flashbacks early on (at the end of which [[ForegoneConclusion he dies]]). |
| 242 | * Creator/MichelleTrachtenberg plays the main character in ''Film/IcePrincess'' and is [[http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2526190848/tt0396652 the only cast member to appear on the poster]]. She's third-billed (behind Creator/JoanCusack and Creator/KimCattrall) and gets an [[AndStarring "And..."]] credit to boot. |
| 243 | * Creator/MichaelCaine's name is listed last on the ''Film/{{Inception}}'' poster, while Dileep Rao is never mentioned, even though he appears on the poster whereas Caine does not. Rao plays Yusuf, one of the six key characters in the mission, while Michael Caine's character has a grand total of two scenes and five minutes of screentime, and has overall less importance to the story. Even Lukas Haas, who played Nash, the architect at the beginning of the film, deserves to be on the poster more than he does. |
| 244 | * The year before she won ''Series/AmericanIdol'', Music/KellyClarkson had a one- or two-line appearance in the zero-budget indie film ''Issues 101'' (2002). The film poster did not mention her but the DVD release reports a "Special Guest Appearance by Kelly Clarkson!" |
| 245 | * ''Film/IndependenceDay'': Whilst Creator/WillSmith, Creator/BillPullman and Creator/JeffGoldblum are the three leads and are billed first (in that order, even if Smith appears less than the other two), 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. |
| 246 | * ''Film/TheIslandOfDrMoreau1996'' 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. |
| 247 | * Before ''Film/{{Rocky}}'', Creator/SylvesterStallone participated in a mediocre porno called ''A Party at Kitty and Stud's'' (he was Stud). After ''Rocky'', the producers changed its name to ''The Italian Stallion'' to capitalize on Stallone's success. |
| 248 | * If you pick up a copy of ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073181/ It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time]]'' you will be disappointed to find out that Creator/JohnCandy only has a handful of lines as a detective's 2nd banana. Heck, he's not even the right age/weight on the DVD menu. |
| 249 | * On the theatrical poster for ''Film/{{JFK}}'', Creator/KevinCostner's name is correctly billed above the title, but below the title is an alphabetical list of names that include Creator/KevinBacon, Creator/TommyLeeJones, Creator/LaurieMetcalf, Creator/GaryOldman, Creator/MichaelRooker, Jay O. Sanders and Creator/SissySpacek. Not billed on the poster are Creator/JoePesci, Creator/DonaldSutherland or Creator/WayneKnight, all three of whom have very prominent roles that cannot be considered cameos. Sutherland only had one scene, but it was a long scene where his character dominated from start to finish. Creator/JackLemmon, Creator/EdAsner, Creator/WalterMatthau and Creator/JohnCandy all had unbilled cameos, but Kevin Bacon's role wasn't much larger, and in fact was much smaller in screen time than Joe Pesci's. Alphabetical billing has him second-billed. |
| 250 | * Creator/MaximillianSchell is billed ''sixth'' in ''Film/JudgmentAtNuremberg'' yet he is arguably one of three lead characters. The film's focus is clearly on Creator/SpencerTracy's conflicted main judge and the two lawyers, including Creator/RichardWidmark's stolid prosecutor and Schell's fiery, passionate defense attorney. Schell was even nominated for an Oscar for the performance as Best ''Actor'' and won. Creator/BurtLancaster is billed second for the film but spends most of it sitting in a defendant's box and saying nothing. Creator/MarleneDietrich, whose character has little to nothing to do with the trial at hand, also gets higher billing than Schell. |
| 251 | * ''Film/MyCousinVinny'': Creator/RalphMacchio is credited second after Creator/JoePesci, but given the extreme prominence and relevance she holds in the film, Creator/MarisaTomei who is billed third arguably should've been second instead. Given re-releases of the movie later put Tomei second to Pesci—given her Best Supporting Actress win as well, it's clearly been agreed upon and acknowledged. |
| 252 | * In ''Film/{{Juno}}'', the trailers and posters for that film heavily promoted Creator/MichaelCera's involvement, giving him and Creator/ElliotPage co-star billing, when in fact his role was relatively minor, and fairly passive, in the movie. At the time, Cera was famous for his role in cult TV comedy ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'', while Page was arguably less well-known. |
| 253 | ** Not on the poster but the trailers ''really' wanted to make sure you knew Creator/RainnWilson was in a supporting role by using footage from all one scene he was in in the movie. |
| 254 | * In ''Film/JurassicPark1993'', Creator/BDWong, who appears in only one scene, gets a single card billing, while Creator/SamuelLJackson and Creator/WayneKnight, who both had larger roles, share a double card. |
| 255 | * The trailer for ''Film/KillingThemSoftly'' makes no mention of Creator/BenMendelsohn despite being one of the main characters and having the most footage in the trailer outside of Creator/BradPitt. Subverted, however by the ending credits, which bill Mendelsohn third. |
| 256 | * Creator/TaronEgerton plays the main character of ''Film/KingsmanTheSecretService'', but you wouldn't know it by looking at the film's poster, where his name isn't even mentioned while Creator/ColinFirth, Creator/MichaelCaine & Creator/SamuelLJackson all get BilledAboveTheTitle, and he receives fourth billing in the ending titles. |
| 257 | * The direct-to-video movie ''The Kiss'' bills Creator/TerenceStamp, Creator/BillyZane, and Creator/ElizaDushku before the main character, played by Francoise Surel. Zane has maybe fifteen minutes of screen time, and Dushku maybe twenty. |
| 258 | * The DVD cover of ''Film/KnuteRockneAllAmerican'' features a prominently displayed picture of a young UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan; the title character is played by Pat O'Brien. Reagan's line "Win one for the Gipper" is probably the only thing that anybody actually ''remembers'' about that movie, though, so perhaps it is for the best. |
| 259 | * ''Film/LAConfidential'' focuses on three cops played by Creator/RussellCrowe, Creator/GuyPearce and Creator/KevinSpacey. Spacey had just won an Oscar a couple of years prior, but Pearce and Crowe were more or less unknowns at the time. Spacey's character arguably has the least screen time of the three while Pearce is as close to a lead character as the film has. Spacey was billed first, Crowe second and Pearce third. |
| 260 | * Creator/JamesMcAvoy is the lead in ''Film/TheLastKingOfScotland'', but Creator/ForestWhitaker is top billed, received many awards as a leading actor, and is generally remembered as the star of the film. |
| 261 | * Most modern releases of ''Film/LaughterInParadise'' give top billing to Creator/AudreyHepburn. She has a five minute role as a cigarette girl. She does get an 'And Introducing' credit at the end of the cast list in the film itself. |
| 262 | * Anyone going into ''Film/LayerCake'' after looking at the film's [[CoversAlwaysLie DVD cover]], movie posters, or American TV ads will be surprised to learn that Creator/SiennaMiller is not, in fact, a major character. She actually only appears in a few scenes and was billed third from last in the film's actual opening titles. |
| 263 | * ''Film/{{Leprechaun}}'' was Creator/JenniferAniston's first film, so she didn't receive any fanfare on the poster. The DVD release, after ''Friends'' made Aniston a household name, not only gave Aniston top billing, it added her to the cover shot ''and'' changed the film's tagline (from "Your luck just ran out," to "Her luck just ran out.") |
| 264 | * ''Film/LikeCrazy'': The poster prominently displays Creator/JenniferLawrence's name above the title, implying more-or-less equal status with the film stars Creator/AntonYelchin and Creator/FelicityJones, when in reality she has only about five (or so) minutes screentime and only about a half dozen spoken lines. When they shot the movie she was still basically an unknown actress. Between filming and release [[Film/WintersBone her star power]] [[Film/XMenFirstclass had exploded]] [[Film/TheHungerGames somewhat.]] |
| 265 | * The old video cover for ''Film/TheLittleShopOfHorrors'' had Creator/JackNicholson on the back, even though he was little more than a cameo. To make matters worse, the picture used was from ''Film/TheShining'' ([[KubrickStare you can guess which one]]). Another cover ''only'' featured Nicholson on the ''front''. |
| 266 | * Creator/FarrahFawcett got ''top billing'' in ads when ''Film/LogansRun'' hit television, even though she had a bit part as an [[BrainlessBeauty airheaded]] nurse. |
| 267 | * The infamous Creator/PiaZadora vehicle ''Film/TheLonelyLady'' has pictures of everyone who could be considered a main character on its poster -- and one character played by one Carla Romanelli, who only appears in one scene as a woman who hits on Zadora's character Jerilee before never showing up again. |
| 268 | * ''Film/TheLoneRanger'' lists Creator/JohnnyDepp, who plays the sidekick Tonto, as the leading name in nearly every ad and poster. Despite expectations, he doesn't overshadow Creator/ArmieHammer's role as the titular hero. It may have something to do with Depp doubling as executive producer. |
| 269 | * ''Film/{{Looper}}'': Creator/BruceWillis is first on posters and the opening credits, while Creator/JosephGordonLevitt (the movie's actual central character, though [[TimeshiftedActor both are playing the same guy]]) is second. This is vice versa in the end credits. You decide which is the displacement. |
| 270 | * Creator/LivTyler has third billing for each part of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', despite 10-15 minutes in each. |
| 271 | * When Creator/{{ABC}} aired ''The Lords of Flatbush'' in the 70's, they advertised it as though Creator/HenryWinkler was the lead, due to his popularity on ''Series/HappyDays''. |
| 272 | * ''Film/LoveActually'' is an big ensemble film so inevitably ''some'' actors were going to get displaced but even so the film poster has a few good examples of this; Creator/KeiraKnightley is pictured and billed but Creator/AndrewLincoln (who shared all her scenes) isn't and Creator/ThomasSangster (who had more screentime than either) doesn't appear either. Kris Marshall and Lúcia Moniz are likewise absent despite starring in their own subplots while OneSceneWonder Creator/RowanAtkinson gets listed. |
| 273 | ** In Germany the same poster and DVD cover - featuring ten faces - was used, except that the picture of Martine [=McCutcheon=] (the Prime Minister's love-interest), who is not well-known in Germany, was replaced by that of Heike Makatsch (who plays Creator/AlanRickman's homewrecking secretary). |
| 274 | * ''Film/{{The Magnificent Seven|1960}}'' 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. |
| 275 | * The trailer and (especially) posters for ''Film/ManchesterByTheSea'' prominently feature Creator/MichelleWilliams, who plays Lee's ex-wife Randi. Her performance is very good and her character is important in a ''narrative'' sense in establishing elements of Lee's background but her entire screentime adds up to less than ten minutes. In contrast newcomer Lucas Hedges, who plays Patrick, one of the two main characters (alongside Lee) doesn't appear at all on most of the posters. |
| 276 | * Applies to both the original and the remake of ''Film/TheManchurianCandidate''. Creator/JanetLeigh was third-billed for the original, despite having a much smaller (and less important) role than Creator/AngelaLansbury (credited as "co-starring"); additionally, Music/FrankSinatra got top billing even though lesser-known Laurence Harvey played Raymond Shaw, the pivotal character. When the remake came out, once again the actor playing Raymond Shaw, Creator/LievSchreiber, was more talented than well-known, and got third-billing after Creator/DenzelWashington and Creator/MerylStreep, and the advertisement for the film made much of Creator/JonVoight's rather small role. |
| 277 | * In an Creator/OrsonWelles DVD set, one of the four films is ''Film/AManForAllSeasons'', in which Welles has a cameo as the dying [[OneSceneWonder Cardinal Wolsey]]. |
| 278 | * The radio spots for ''Film/TheManWithTheIronFists'' strangely de-emphasized Creator/RussellCrowe's lead role in the film and gave top billing to Creator/LucyLiu (possibly due to her connection with Creator/QuentinTarantino, who produced this film and directed Liu in ''Film/KillBill''). |
| 279 | * Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse: |
| 280 | ** While both Creator/HayleyAtwell (ComicBook/PeggyCarter) and Creator/SebastianStan (ComicBook/BuckyBarnes) are featured on the poster for ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', their names are not in the credits at the bottom, unlike the far less prominent Creator/NealMcDonough and Derek Luke. Toby Jones, as the second most prominent villain, Dr. Arnim Zola, also does not receive credit on the poster. The film's closing credits fix this, with prominent billing for all three. |
| 281 | ** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'': Creator/SamuelLJackson and Creator/DonCheadle both receive more prominent billing (and in Jackson's case, [[AndStarring a more prominent spot on the poster]]) as ComicBook/NickFury and Comicbook/WarMachine than Creator/ElizabethOlsen, Creator/AaronTaylorJohnson and Creator/PaulBettany do as ComicBook/ScarletWitch, ComicBook/{{Quicksilver}} and ComicBook/TheVision. This is despite the fact that that Fury is DemotedToExtra in the movie and has a much smaller role than Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, and that while War Machine helps in the climactic battle, he's not as intrinsic to the plot as the three other characters. Also, the billing block includes Atwell and Creator/IdrisElba (Heimdall), who only show up briefly in hallucinations, and Creator/StellanSkarsgard (Erik Selvig), who unlike in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' barely appears, while Claudia Kim (Helen Cho), Andy Serkis (Ulysses Klaue) and Linda Cardellini (Laura Barton), who have substantially more screen-time and plot importance, are not listed (and only the last one configures a spoiler). |
| 282 | ** Likewise, Creator/DonCheadle and Creator/JeremyRenner get more prominent billing in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' than Creator/ChadwickBoseman, even though Comicbook/BlackPanther has a much larger role than War Machine or Comicbook/{{Hawkeye}}. Creator/MarisaTomei also gets billed for her cameo as Aunt May right above Creator/TomHolland as Comicbook/SpiderMan. |
| 283 | ** Creator/GwynethPaltrow (Pepper Potts) is billed fourth in the closing credits (pre-mid credits scene, not the crawl credits) to ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' despite the fact that she does not appear in the film until the final two minutes. |
| 284 | ** Not counting the cases of AdvertisedExtra in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', Creator/JonFavreau is on the billing block. Happy Hogan only appears in the final minutes, [[spoiler:first attending Tony Stark's funeral and then being in his house alongside his widow and daughter.]] |
| 285 | ** ''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, who in the main credits share two triple billings, 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]] |
| 286 | ** Creator/MichaelStuhlbarg is one of the names atop the poster of ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. Dr. Nic West only appears briefly in the beginning, talking to Strange during Christine's wedding. |
| 287 | ** ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' has [[TheBusCameBack the return of]] Creator/JaimieAlexander (Sif) for just a few scenes billed above director Creator/TaikaWaititi (Korg) in an extensive supporting role. |
| 288 | * ''Film/MazesAndMonsters'' gets a lot of this too. Technically Hanks '''was''' top billed and his character could be considered a lead, but the film was really more of an ensemble piece. The usual current DVD covers feature a picture of Hanks that's '''much''' more recent than the 1982 date of the film, superimposed over a sort of StandardFantasySetting labyrinth, thereby also misidentifying the actual nature of the film. |
| 289 | * An oddity in both posters for ''Film/MeAndOrsonWelles'' - on the US one Creator/ClaireDanes gets top billing with Creator/ZacEfron second and Christian [=McKay=] third. On the UK one the largely unknown [=McKay=] (who, coincidentally, is British) goes first, then Danes, with Efron getting an 'and' credit. This is despite Efron playing the lead character and being the biggest name in the cast. |
| 290 | * ''Film/MidnightMadness'': Creator/MichaelJFox debuted in this movie. He went from no billing when the movie released, but with home media releases all coming after Series/FamilyTies Fox is usually front and center on the cover. |
| 291 | * ''Film/TheMighty'' was heavily advertised using Creator/SharonStone and Creator/GillianAnderson in the trailers, despite them having relatively minor supporting roles in the film. The DVD cover features photos of them, along with Creator/GenaRowlands and Creator/HarryDeanStanton, who were also minor. Elden Henson, whose character NARRATES the film and is obviously the main focus, is billed 7th in the opening credits. |
| 292 | * Though not the worst example, Creator/AmandaSeyfried was rarely mentioned during promotion for ''Film/LesMiserables2012''. Creator/AnneHathaway on the other hand was promoted heavily. Anyone who's seen the musical knows Seyfried's character borders on {{Deuteragonist}} while Hathaway's character is barely present at all. |
| 293 | ** 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. |
| 294 | * In the credits of ''Film/TheMisfits'', Creator/EliWallach has a much larger role than Creator/MontgomeryClift, but is billed second to last. |
| 295 | * Modern releases of ''Film/MoneyMovers'' give top billing to Bryan Brown: the actor who went on the biggest career outside Australia. While he plays a major supporting role as Eric's younger brother and partner-in-crime Brian, he is in no way the lead actor in this film. Top billed on original release were Terrence Donavon and Tony Bonner. |
| 296 | * [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] in ''Film/TheMummyReturns'' was billed next to Creator/BrendanFraser and had about 10 minutes of screen time with no dialogue, and half of that was CGI. |
| 297 | * Creator/DeanMartin and Creator/JerryLewis are billed as the stars of the 1949 film ''Radio/MyFriendIrma'' in the DVD release. Actually they are very much supporting characters to the ''real'' star Marie Wilson, who played [[DumbBlonde Irma]] in a hit radio sitcom of the same name. Incidentally the title refers to neither Martin nor Lewis but Jane, the character played by Diana Lynn. The unfortunate Lynn is the film's narrator and has more screentime/plot importance than Martin and Lewis but doesn't even get her name on the DVD cover, let alone her picture. |
| 298 | * 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/HomeAlone1'' 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.]] His clear absence in [[Film/MyGirl2 the second film]] is likely the reasoning as to why that movie was notably not as successful as the first. |
| 299 | * Many promotional items (as well as a few DVD covers) make it seem like Creator/ClorisLeachman and Creator/HarveyKorman are the stars of ''[[Film/TheLoveBug Herbie Goes Bananas]]'' when they're actually playing minor characters. |
| 300 | [[/folder]] |
| 301 | |
| 302 | [[folder:N-S]] |
| 303 | * In ''Film/NapoleonDynamite'', Creator/DiedrichBader gets major billing in the opening credits despite him being in only two scenes. This ignores those who actually have larger roles than Bader such as Haylie Duff. Somewhat justified in that Bader's appearance is a OneSceneWonder appearance and probably one of the most memorable performances in the movie. |
| 304 | * ''Film/NationalLampoonsVacation'' will nearly always be advertised as starring Creator/ChevyChase and Creator/JohnCandy... despite Candy only being in the last 5 minutes of the film in a very minor role. |
| 305 | * Steve Burns plays the lead in ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787495/ NetherBeast Incorporated]]'', but is left off the billing. Likewise, Jason Mewes gets top billing but isn't featured much. |
| 306 | * ''Film/TheNewMutants'' is mostly driven by Dani Moonstar, yet Blu Hunt's low profile made her only the fifth billed, below the better known Creator/MaisieWilliams, Creator/AnyaTaylorJoy, Creator/CharlieHeaton and Creator/AliceBraga (mind you the last one isn't one of the title characters, [[spoiler:but the villain]]). |
| 307 | * The theatrical posters and video and DVD covers of ''Film/{{Newsies}}'' do not include Creator/ChristianBale's name on the front, instead crediting only Creator/RobertDuvall (who played the villain), and Ann-Margret ([[AdvertisedExtra who sang two songs]]). Bale's name ''does'' appear on the Blu-Ray cover, since he became the biggest name in the cast by the time the movie came to Blu-Ray. |
| 308 | * Creator/BelaLugosi is fourth-billed in ''Film/{{Ninotchka}}''. He has one scene that's not even a OneSceneWonder. |
| 309 | * ''Film/NoNameOnTheBullet'': Creator/VirginiaGray (as the unhappy, insightful, and [[BrutalHonesty brutally honest]] wife of one of Gant's potential targets) is fourth in the credits even though she only has two scenes, which are about a minute each and don't affect the plot much. |
| 310 | * One of the posters for ''Film/NoKidding'' adds Creator/IreneHandl, Creator/JoanHickson, and June Jago to the list of stars. |
| 311 | * The theatrical run for ''Film/NoRetreatNoSurrender'' gave top billing to a pair of budding martial arts phenoms, Kurt [=McKinney=] and Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme. [=McKinney=]'s character is the focus of the entire movie and is onscreen all throughout. Van Damme's character appears twice, a ''very'' quick action sequence at the beginning and the big fight at the end (which lasts about 15 minutes), and he has something like 3 lines. Even better, the current video release has Van Damme ''alone'' on the cover. |
| 312 | * ''Film/NowYouSeeMe'': Creator/JesseEisenberg gets top billing, but Creator/MarkRuffalo's character has the biggest amount of screentime. But then, that might just be intentional misdirection. |
| 313 | * ''Film/TheNuttyProfessor1996'' does this twice, first by billing Creator/JamesCoburn, who only shows up in the final third, behind the two leads and ahead of Creator/LarryMiller, who has a substantially larger role of the dean; and John Ales, playing an important secondary character (the lab assistant), is behind Creator/DaveChappelle, whose role as an insult comic only appears in three scenes. |
| 314 | * Creator/DorisHare is given second billing in ''Film/OnTheBuses'', despite having the least amount of screentime of all the stars. |
| 315 | * ''Film/OnceUponATimeInMexico'' pushes Creator/AntonioBanderas and Creator/SalmaHayek as the "leads", which is understandable since they were the leads in the previous film. In this one, Creator/JohnnyDepp has far more screen-time, and Hayek is only present in flashbacks. |
| 316 | * The 1965 movie ''Operation: Crossbow'' features Creator/GeorgePeppard as an American engineer who assumes the identity of a German engineer in order to infiltrate the Nazi V2 rocket base at Peenemunde. In one short scene, the German engineer's wife, played by Creator/SophiaLoren, tracks her 'husband' down and is later killed to prevent her from alerting the Gestapo to the identity theft. Loren's scene is no more than five minutes long, yet she received top billing in the American release (the movie was produced by her husband, Carlo Ponti). |
| 317 | * Kate Upton is third-billed on ''Film/TheOtherWoman2014'' (after Creator/CameronDiaz and Creator/LeslieMann) and all over the publicity, but she doesn't appear until quite some time (like, nearly an hour) into the movie. But this is more justified than billing Music/NickiMinaj above Taylor Kinney; his character (Mann's brother [[spoiler: and ultimately Diaz's partner in love]]) is more important to the story, whereas the large-assed one has hardly any screen time [[spoiler: with her biggest function being to [[TokenEvilTeammate laugh uproariously as Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's character sustains some serious injuries]] during his VillainousBreakdown in the climax]]. |
| 318 | * ''Film/TheParentTrap1998'': While it's more than reasonable—if not, outright expected—that Creator/LindsayLohan as both Hallie and Annie in her debut AndStarring role would end up billed first in the cast before both Creator/DennisQuaid and Creator/NatashaRichardson, her double Erin Mackey is only credited right outside the cast list. While Mackey's face is never seen and her voice is never heard, she was used for most scenes throughout the movie where the two girls are either onscreen and is definitely onscreen for the scenes where the back of either girl's head or body is seen while Lohan's face in either role is shown. That her physical presence for the scenes that aren't digitally imposed with Hallie and Annie's faces is on the screen almost all the time—if not, just as much (and even then, attributed to helping best sell the illusion in the dual performance even without the visual effects), Mackey probably should've in that case been billed second after Lohan ''in'' the actual cast instead. |
| 319 | * The poster for ''Film/ThePiano'' featured Creator/HollyHunter, Creator/HarveyKeitel, and Creator/SamNeill getting billed but not Creator/AnnaPaquin, who plays a more important role than the latter two. Today, though, Paquin is the person most associated with the film, mostly due to her Best Supporting Actress Oscar win, and few people remember that Hunter won an Oscar for the same movie as well. |
| 320 | * The [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl first]] ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' was written with it in mind that Will Turner was the male lead and Jack Sparrow was a supporting character who was only there for the purpose of teaching Will how to be a pirate. Then Creator/JohnnyDepp got cast in the role and gradually the script was rewritten until he was at least the second lead, and he received top billing. This is a sort of inversion/subversion/playing straight of this trope all at the same time. Creator/GeoffreyRush, who plays the main antagonist Barbossa, is also billed before Will's actor Creator/OrlandoBloom. The sequels were unabashedly about Jack Sparrow and the [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides fourth film]] doesn't even feature Will. |
| 321 | * ''Film/{{Platoon}}'' was really an ensemble film, but if there is a central character, it's Creator/CharlieSheen's green recruit Chris Taylor, from whose point of view most of the action takes place. Creator/TomBerenger and Creator/WillemDafoe, who play the evil Sgt. Barnes and saintly Sgt. Elias, who show him the extreme ends of the spectrum of what war does to people, are both billed ahead of him. |
| 322 | * ''Film/PlayingForKeeps1986'' DVD release had 'starring Creator/MarisaTomei' with a large portrait of her on the left and a cast photo (including her) on the right. Granted the original promotional material featured her as token female among the New York friends. |
| 323 | * The back of the Blu-Ray release of ''Film/PleaseTurnOver'' adds Creator/DilysLaye, Lionel Jeffries, and Colin Gordon to the list of stars. |
| 324 | * When ''Film/{{Popeye}}'' came out in 1980, the makers of the 1977 SketchComedy film ''Can I Do It 'Till I Need Glasses?'' decided to re-release the film with scenes featuring the now-famous Creator/RobinWilliams that were cut when it first came out. Naturally, they exploited this in the advertising, even though he had only two segments. He sued them and later video releases had his scenes removed again. At least until the DVD came out. |
| 325 | ** Robin Williams had this happen to him a lot. Probably the greatest example is ''Film/DeadPoetsSociety'' in which his character, though undeniably pivotal, is on screen for perhaps two thirds of the film. The focus is on the students, primarily the roles played by Creator/EthanHawke and Robert Sean Leonard. If the role of Keating had been played by a non-marquee character actor, he likely would have been billed at the end with an "AndStarring" credit. |
| 326 | ** Conversely, none of the ads for the Creator/KennethBranagh film ''Film/DeadAgain'' even mentioned Williams, who was arguably the biggest star in it at the time. All the promotional material hyped Branagh's and Creator/EmmaThompson's characters, who were the leads, while Williams was unbilled and was onscreen for perhaps eight minutes. An odd case of a complete inversion of this trope for Williams. |
| 327 | * Because he wasn't well known at the time, Creator/EdwardNorton was billed sixth in ''Film/PrimalFear'', despite playing the main focus of the film. As Norton became a big star after the film's release, later home releases billed him second on the cover. |
| 328 | * ''Film/PrimaryColors'': Creator/AdrianLester (TV's ''Series/{{Hustle}}'') is listed FIFTH in nearly all material for the film, despite obviously being the lead character. Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/EmmaThompson, Creator/BillyBobThornton, and Creator/KathyBates are all listed above him. Even though Thornton and Bates play much smaller characters, and even Travolta and Thompson (as a fictional Bill and Hillary Clinton) are back-ups to Lester's Henry Burton. |
| 329 | * Intentionally employed by Creator/AlfredHitchcock in ''Film/{{Psycho}}''. Creator/JanetLeigh was billed as the star of the film, and is the de facto protagonist of the film until [[spoiler:she's killed off fairly early on, thus shocking the audience by not just taking their protagonist away, but the most recognizable face in the movie.]] Arguably Hitchcock's SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome. |
| 330 | * Creator/ValKilmer was given top billing for ''Film/RealGenius'', while Gabriel Jarret was the main character. |
| 331 | * ''Film/Red2010'' has Creator/MaryLouiseParker billed sixth despite having the most scenes in the film outside of Creator/BruceWillis' character. |
| 332 | * Posters and video releases of the 1985 ''Film/RedSonja'' movie has Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger as lead. Brigitte who? |
| 333 | * ''Film/ReignOfFire'' has Creator/MatthewMcConaughey billed first, Creator/ChristianBale billed second and had most of its ad campaign focused around the former. In the actual film, Bale is the main character while [=McConaughey=] is more of a supporting character. [[spoiler:[=McConaughey=]'s character doesn't even make it to the end.]] Though to be fair, Bale receives top billing in the ending credits. |
| 334 | * Creator/NancyAllen gets second billing (under Creator/RobertJohnBurke) in ''Film/RoboCop3'', despite having less screentime than Rip Torn (who appears in more scenes than her), and despite being [[spoiler:killed off a third of the way through the film]]. |
| 335 | * ''Film/TheRocker'' is a fairly mild case; while the trailer does show that Creator/RainnWilson plays the main character, it [[TrailersAlwaysLie implies]] that Creator/JoshGad's part is the most important of the younger band members, and that he is after Creator/EmmaStone's character. Actually Teddy Geiger has the larger, more dramatic role and it is he who ends up with Stone. |
| 336 | * Creator/DenzelWashington is top billed in ''Film/SafeHouse'' and was all over the film's advertising. The actual lead is Creator/RyanReynolds (who took a back seat in all of the marketing due to the failures of ''Film/GreenLantern2011'' and ''The Change-Up''). |
| 337 | * A DVD release of the 1940 Western ''Santa Fe Trail'' implies that the film is about a friendly rivalry between soldiers UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan and Creator/ErrolFlynn for the affections of Creator/OliviaDeHavilland. The film is actually about Errol Flynn chasing infamous abolitionist John Brown (played by Raymond Massey, who isn't mentioned on the DVD cover). The Gipper is little more than Flynn's sidekick. |
| 338 | * The American DVD release of ''Film/TheSapphires'' had Creator/ChrisODowd (who plays the titular band's manager) front and center, while the Sapphires themselves were regulated to the background. [=O'Dowd=] actually blasted the cover, and said that the choice to highlight the [[TokenMinority Token White Male]] of the cast ahead of the ''actual'' stars was offensive and contrary to the film's message. |
| 339 | * ''Satanic'' gives both Creator/JeffreyCombs and Angus Scrimm prominent billing. Their combined screentime comes to less than eight minutes. |
| 340 | * ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' made much of rising star Creator/MattDamon in the title role, with his name in all the ads, and the poster billing him third, underneath only Creator/TomHanks and Creator/EdwardBurns. This is understandable, as not only was Damon portraying the titular soldier, he was also fresh off his Oscar-nominated performance in ''Film/GoodWillHunting'' and very popular. However, since the plot of this film concerns a mission to rescue his character, he actually doesn't appear until the last third of the movie. Still, the ending credits avert this; Damon is billed ninth, underneath Hanks and the actors portraying the members of his character's platoon, who all have much more screen time than Damon. |
| 341 | * ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'': |
| 342 | ** 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 [[AdvertisedExtra featured a presentation of Jigsaw's face in some way]]. |
| 343 | ** The displacement is taken to ridiculous lengths in ''Film/Saw3D'', where: |
| 344 | *** Bell is top-billed in spite of his character having a screentime of only '''TWO MINUTES'''. |
| 345 | *** Creator/CostasMandylor (Hoffman) and Betsy Russell (Jill) get second and third billing, respectively, even though the former's character is barely seen until the end, and the latter's, while having more screentime that Hoffman, doesn't do a heck of a lot. Their billing can be pinned on them having become staples of the series at the time, having appeared in every film since ''Saw III'' up to this one, rather than their roles in the plot. |
| 346 | *** Creator/CaryElwes' character (Gordon) appears in three scenes and has four lines of dialogue, yet he's billed above Creator/SeanPatrickFlanery, who, at fifth billing, plays the main "hero" character Bobby, who has the most screentime of anyone in the film. |
| 347 | *** Creator/ChadDonella, who plays the movie's main cop Gibson, doesn't even make the top five or the poster billings. |
| 348 | *** Several actors who played minor victims in the movie, such as [[Music/LinkinPark Chester Bennington]] (Evan), Naomi Snieckus (Nina) and Rebecca Marshall (Suzanne) have received billings as well. |
| 349 | * Creator/HeatherGraham got top billing over Creator/ChrisKlein for ''Film/SayItIsntSo'', but Klein has more screentime than Graham. He did, however, get top billing in the closing credits. |
| 350 | * ''Film/TheSchoolForGoodAndEvil2022'': Creator/MichelleYeoh gets billed above both Jamie Flatters and Creator/KitYoung 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. |
| 351 | * In ''Film/ScoobyDoo'', Creator/FreddiePrinzeJr (Fred) and Creator/SarahMichelleGellar (Daphne) are billed above Creator/MatthewLillard (Shaggy), who has roughly more screentime. |
| 352 | * On the cover of ''Film/TheScorpionKing 2: Rise of a Warrior'' Creator/RandyCouture's image gets the most space and only his name is shown. The credits still list protagonist Michael Copon first. |
| 353 | ** In the {{Interquel}} ''The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption'', protagonist Victor Webster at least has his name on the cover. |
| 354 | * There was a lot of hype about Creator/DrewBarrymore starring in ''Film/Scream1996'', with equal billing to Creator/NeveCampbell. Barrymore [[DeadStarWalking dies in the first 10 minutes]]. This was intentional to establish that AnyoneCanDie. |
| 355 | ** Related, ''Film/ScaryMovie'' bills its Drew Barrymore analogue Creator/CarmenElectra second in the poster, third in the ending credits (both in alphabetical order) and first in the cast list (order of appearance). Actual main character Creator/AnnaFaris has a bad placement in all of those (fourth, fifth and ninth) and [[SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer does not even appear in any posters]]. |
| 356 | * Creator/DougBradley has a single scene in ''Film/ScreamPark'', encompassing maybe 15 minutes of screen time. He's the only actor whose name is mentioned on the DVD cover. |
| 357 | * Fourth-billed Creator/WoodyStrode played the title character in the Western ''Sergeant Rutledge''. Creator/JeffreyHunter was top-billed. |
| 358 | * For the DVD release of ''Series/SesameStreet Presents Film/FollowThatBird'' Elmo is featured on the cover suggesting he is an important character, however Elmo's role is very minor; he only shows up in two scenes near the beginning he is seen dancing down the street in the opening song and at the end of the movie he opens a window to a building and sings a verse of the song. |
| 359 | * Even though he portrays the main character and appears on the cover of Creator/TheCriterionCollection DVD, Creator/MaxVonSydow is billed fourth in ''Film/TheSeventhSeal''. |
| 360 | * The American remake of ''Shall We Dance'' seems to make a big deal about Nick Cannon and Music/JaRule being in the film. Each actor appears in only one scene of the film (and in Ja Rule's case, he's an AdvertisedExtra with no purpose to the plot). |
| 361 | * In the closing credits of ''Film/TheShopAroundTheCorner'', Creator/MargaretSullavan gets top billing over Creator/JimmyStewart who had been in several hit movies prior to this one. |
| 362 | * Ask anyone who the lead character is in ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'' and they'll tell you without hesitation that it's the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by the great Creator/AnthonyHopkins. Accordingly, Hopkins was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar and won. The poster bills him second, after Creator/JodieFoster, at least acknowledging that she is the real star (her face is also the cover image). In actuality, Hopkins is onscreen for about 22 minutes, less time than Creator/ScottGlenn, who is billed third, and about equal with Creator/TedLevine, billed fourth and the film's actual antagonist. The film isn't about Lecter at all, really. He's just the one who teaches Foster's FBI trainee how to think like a killer. |
| 363 | ** The third film in the series, ''Film/RedDragon'', does it again. This time, Lecter is obviously not a central character, as a great majority of the film focuses on Creator/EdwardNorton's Will Graham and Creator/RalphFiennes's Francis Dolarhyde. Hopkins is still billed first. |
| 364 | * [[http://www.amazon.com/Simon-Says-Crispin-Glover/dp/B0024R1CGI/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1337799350&sr=1-1 The DVD cover]] for the 2006 film ''Simon Says'' gives top billing to Creator/CrispinGlover and Creator/BlakeLively, while relegating Creator/MargoHarshman to "with" status. Glover is indeed one of the film's stars, as is Miss Harshman... unlike Miss Lively, who only appears in the last few minutes (interestingly, [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/Simon_Says_Movie_Poster.jpg on the film's poster]] she's billed seventh - [[{{Nepotism}} the movie was produced by her father, and several other Lively friends and relatives appear in the film]]). |
| 365 | * ''Film/SkyCaptainAndTheWorldOfTomorrow'' was advertised heavily with Creator/AngelinaJolie in the trailers and giving her third billing, even though she shows up fairly late in the film and essentially has a glorified cameo. |
| 366 | * Creator/RobertEnglund in 1975's ''Slashed Dreams'', despite no dreaming, no slashing and Robert doesn’t actually show up until the last ten minutes or so - and then only as a good guy. |
| 367 | * In the 1998 film ''Film/SmallSoldiers'', Creator/KirstenDunst gets top billing despite playing the love interest of the protagonist. |
| 368 | * ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'' has two names on the poster, Creator/JamesMarsden and Creator/JimCarrey, leaving out Creator/BenSchwartz, who voices the title character (Marsden is the main ''human'' character who helps Sonic, while Carrey plays villain Robotnik), though the end credits themselves have Schwartz first (while also giving a prominent spot for Creator/NealMcDonough, who only appears in one scene). [[Film/SonicTheHedgehog22022 The sequel]] gives Schwartz his due as he's the second name atop the poster, but the end credits end up putting Creator/AdamPally (Officer Wade) and Creator/ShemarMoore (Randall) with higher billing than Creator/ColleenOShaughnessey (Tails) and Creator/LeeMajdoub (Agent Stone) despite the latter two having more plot-relevant roles. |
| 369 | * In ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', director Creator/MelBrooks, who plays two secondary characters, is given top billing, followed by Creator/JohnCandy (the sidekick) and Creator/RickMoranis (the villain). All three are BilledAboveTheTitle, and only then do we get Creator/BillPullman (the protagonist) and Daphne Zuniga (the female lead). The five of them ''are'' in alphabetical order, but that doesn't explain why [[http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/8112MVMNOAL._SL1500_.jpg one DVD cover]] only features Brooks, Candy, and Moranis. |
| 370 | * In ''Film/Spawn1997'', Creator/JohnLeguizamo gets top billing but Creator/MichaelJaiWhite (who gets second billing) is actually the main character, while Leguizamo is the main antagonist. Still, the end credits list Jai White first. |
| 371 | * 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|Singer}}. Little-known actors (in the US, anyway), and in much more minor roles. |
| 372 | * Arguably present in ''Film/SpringBreakers''. Music/SelenaGomez is billed second only to Creator/JamesFranco (and is the first name on the poster art), above Music/VanessaHudgens and Creator/AshleyBenson. [[spoiler: Gomez's character leaves the film halfway through, whereas the ones played by Hudgens and Benson (unlike Franco's) stay alive all the way to the end.]] However, prior to her exit and the introduction of Franco's character, the film is primarily focused on Gomez. |
| 373 | * Creator/AntonioBanderas and Creator/CarlaGugino in ''Film/SpyKids3DGameOver''. It can be argued that this was the case in the first two as well since the children were the main characters, but, of course, no marketing department on Earth would throw away having two movie stars on-screen for most of the movie. However, in the third one, Banderas and Gugino were only given cameos at the end and were ''still'' top-billed. |
| 374 | * While ''Film/{{Stardust}}'' does seem to give top billing to Creator/ClaireDanes (who played one of the main characters), Creator/MichellePfeiffer (as the villain) and Creator/RobertDeNiro (as a fairly minor character) come before Creator/CharlieCox. ''TheHero''. The DVD cover also takes pains to point out that it features Creator/SiennaMiller, Creator/RickyGervais, and Creator/PeterOToole, all of whom have three scenes at the very most. |
| 375 | * Trailers for ''Film/StargateContinuum'' all overstated Creator/RichardDeanAnderson's role as Jack O'Neill in that film, some to the extent of even making him appear to be the main character. He shows up briefly at both the start and ending, and disappears quietly somewhere in the first act, remaining absent for the remainder. |
| 376 | * Creator/LanceHenriksen's role in ''Film/{{Starkweather}}'' is only a little above being an AdvertisedExtra. However, anyone reading the blurb of the DVD cover would be forgiven for assuming he is playing Charles Starkweather. |
| 377 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njRACimYtmU This advertisement]] for a 1988 showing of ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' lists Creator/KirstieAlley as one of the stars. Admittedly, she probably has enough screen time to justify this, but it's noteworthy considering she was completely ignored by the film's original 1982 advertising. Of course, Kirstie Alley was a nobody in 1982 whereas 1988 came at the height of her ''{{Series/Cheers}}'' fame. |
| 378 | * ''Franchise/StarWars'': |
| 379 | ** In the original trilogy Creator/DavidProwse and Creator/JamesEarlJones, 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]]). |
| 380 | ** In the prequel trilogy, both of Anakin Skywalker's portrayers, Creator/JakeLloyd and Creator/HaydenChristensen, were billed below Creator/EwanMcGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Creator/NataliePortman (Padmé Amidala) in all three films, despite Anakin being the main focus of the series. |
| 381 | ** In ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', Oliver Ford Davies received billing during the Co-Starring section for reprising his role as Sio Bibble, despite only making a non-speaking background cameo during the ending of the film, which is cropped out in the fullscreen version. Creator/AhmedBest is also in the same Co-Starring section despite Jar Jar not having much more screen time and only one brief line. Both have higher billing than Creator/TemueraMorrison and Creator/AnthonyDaniels, who have more major roles. Meanwhile, Creator/MatthewWood, who voices major antagonist General Grievous, isn't billed at all. |
| 382 | ** In the sequel trilogy, top billing is given to the original trilogy's leads Creator/HarrisonFord (Han Solo), Creator/MarkHamill (Luke Skywalker), and Creator/CarrieFisher (Leia Organa), despite all three having supporting roles. This is most egregiously seen in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', where Hamill is billed second [[spoiler:for a glorified cameo with no dialogue]], and ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', where Fisher receives top billing for a few brief appearances created through unused footage that was filmed before her death. Creator/DaisyRidley (Rey), the lead of the trilogy, is not only billed below the original stars in each film, but also below the trilogy's antagonist Creator/AdamDriver (Kylo Ren). |
| 383 | * TheFilmOfTheBook of ''Film/{{Stormbreaker}}'' has Creator/EwanMcGregor billed with the main cast as Ian Rider, the protagonist's uncle, who dies ''before'' the opening credits! |
| 384 | * ''Film/StTrinians2007'' has the posters prominently 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.]] |
| 385 | * ''Film/SupermanTheMovie'' 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 [[Film/SupermanII 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. |
| 386 | ** ''Christopher Columbus: The Discovery'' has a similar order: Brando and Creator/TomSelleck above the title, unknown actor Georges Corraface (as Columbus) in the Reeve position. It was made by the same producers as the ''Superman'' film. |
| 387 | * Creator/GeorgeClooney was the executive producer of the film ''Film/{{Syriana}}'', and the film was based on a non-fiction book written by the man he portrays in the film. He is billed first and the cover art is a picture of his face. Then around Oscar time, when it became clear that the Best Actor field was going to be crowded, the studio, with Clooney's permission, declared that the film was actually an ensemble piece, that Clooney's character didn't really get any more screentime than the others (not exactly a lie) and that he should properly be nominated for Best ''Supporting'' Actor. He was, and won, making this a case of billing displacement ''displacement''. |
| 388 | [[/folder]] |
| 389 | |
| 390 | [[folder:T-Z]] |
| 391 | * Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger is given star billing in ''Film/TheTerminator'', which is not surprising since he is the [[AntagonistTitle title villain]], but his screen time amounts to less than 30 minutes, and given the nature of the role, he only has about 35 lines. The protagonists of the film are Creator/LindaHamilton and Creator/MichaelBiehn. |
| 392 | * The theatrical poster for ''Film/TheThinRedLine'' bills Creator/SeanPenn, Creator/AdrienBrody, Creator/JimCaviezel, Ben Chaplin, Creator/GeorgeClooney, Creator/JohnCusack, Creator/WoodyHarrelson, Elias Koteas, Creator/NickNolte and Creator/JohnCReilly in that order. Penn is the only one billed out of alphabetical order despite not having any more importance in the film than Harrelson or Nolte. The original script as written focused on Brody's Cpl. Fife, but was re-edited after filming was complete to focus on Jim Caviezel's Pvt. Witt, Ben Chaplin's Pvt. Bell and Dash Mihok's Pvt. Doll. Mihok doesn't even get poster billing despite having much more screen time than Brody (and both were unknowns at the time). George Clooney's cameo is barely five minutes long. |
| 393 | * The video edition of ''Film/TheThirdMan'' has Creator/OrsonWelles alone on the cover, even though Welles only features in the last 20 minutes or so, and his appearance is supposed to be a reveal. Creator/JosephCotten is the actual star, although he does get top billing. |
| 394 | * ''Film/ThisIsTheEnd'' gives top billing to Creator/JamesFranco and Creator/JonahHill, when the third billed Creator/SethRogen and the fourth billed Creator/JayBaruchel are the main characters. |
| 395 | * ''Film/TimeBandits'' has Creator/JohnCleese get top billing, despite [[OneSceneWonder being in a single scene as a supporting character.]] This may have something to do with the film being made by Creator/TerryGilliam. |
| 396 | * When ''Film/ATimeToKill'' was shown on network television, a promo only showed Creator/KevinSpacey and Creator/AshleyJudd as the leads. |
| 397 | * The cast billed on the poster for ''Film/{{Titanic|1997}}'' includes Creator/BernardHill, who plays the captain, and doesn't have much to do except go down with the ship, and Creator/DannyNucci, whom most people might not even remember was in the film. Not billed on the poster? Creator/JonathanHyde, who plays the director of the shipping line the ''Titanic'' is a part of, and is portrayed quite prominently; Creator/VictorGarber, who portrays the ship's designer and is also prominent, and Creator/GloriaStuart, who plays older Rose and who got an Oscar nomination for the role. |
| 398 | * Creator/BrittRobertson is billed ''third'' on the ''Film/{{Tomorrowland}}'' behind Creator/GeorgeClooney and Creator/HughLaurie, despite the fact that her character is clearly the protagonist. Nevertheless, she is getting the most buzz from the film. |
| 399 | * One of the most striking examples: the actual main character in ''Film/TrainingDay'' is Creator/EthanHawke's rookie rather than Creator/DenzelWashington's crooked cop, but Hawke is hardly remembered while Washington won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Despite playing the main character, Hawke was nominated for a Supporting Role. |
| 400 | * Creator/SeanPenn is billed second in ''Film/TheTreeOfLife'' but is in about five minutes of the entire movie. Creator/JessicaChastain, who has many more scenes in the film (on par with top-billed Creator/BradPitt), is billed third. |
| 401 | * The 2010 adaptation of ''Film/TrueGrit'' does this big-time in its promotional material. Creator/HaileeSteinfeld doesn't get her name on the poster (although at least she does appear on them) and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress role. This despite the fact that she was ''the lead character'', she narrates the film and has the most lines and appears in the most scenes. Admittedly she's very young and doesn't have much other acting work to show, but it's kind of ridiculous that she got bumped on the poster for Creator/JoshBrolin, who only appears for the last section of the movie, where he has about the same amount of screentime as Barry Pepper, who is barely featured. Despite all this, Steinfeld was billed second in the ending credits, above everyone but leading actor Creator/JeffBridges. |
| 402 | * One of the posters for ''Film/TwiceRoundTheDaffodils'' adds Creator/JoanSims, Andrew Ray, Creator/LancePercival, and Creator/JillIreland to the list of stars. |
| 403 | * When Creator/GillianAnderson was doing ''Series/TheXFiles'' and it was discovered she had appeared in a film ''Film/TheTurning'', that film was released on VHS with Anderson given prominence, although she only appears for a few minutes. |
| 404 | * ''Series/UpPompeii'' films: |
| 405 | ** Julie Ege is featured prominently on the ''Film/UpPompeii'' poster alongside leading man Creator/FrankieHowerd, but has some of the least amount of screen time out of all the stars. |
| 406 | ** ''Film/UpTheFront'''s American DVD release has Creator/BobHoskins and Linda Gray listed with the stars on the front cover despite playing incredibly minor roles. While Hoskins had a successful career after the film, Gray seems to have only been included possibly for being mistaken for the [[OneSteveLimit actress of the same name]] who played Sue Ellen Ewing in ''Series/{{Dallas}}''. |
| 407 | * Although he's not really billed, [[Music/{{Placebo}} Brian Molko's]] face shows up prominently on the DVD cover of Todd Haynes glam rock flick ''Film/VelvetGoldmine''. The members of Placebo only have a small cameo and a few lines, but it seems like the DVD distributors knew their audience. |
| 408 | * ''Film/WhatToExpectWhenYoureExpecting'': In the posters, Creator/BrooklynDecker is billed below Creator/CameronDiaz, Creator/ElizabethBanks and Music/JenniferLopez, but they are also billed above Creator/AnnaKendrick. In the movie itself, however, Kendrick is one of the main characters while Decker plays a supporting role in the story of Wendy (Banks's character). |
| 409 | * ''Film/{{Willow}}'' follows the adventures of the character of the same name, played by Creator/WarwickDavis, and only leaves his perspective to show what the villains are plotting. However, Davis gets third billing to Creator/ValKilmer and Joanne Whalley, both playing supporting characters. |
| 410 | * Creator/MatthewMcConaughey was billed fourth in ''Film/TheWolfOfWallStreet'' and was prominently featured in the trailer, despite appearing in a grand total of three scenes in a three hour movie. |
| 411 | * ''Woman Haters'' was a short subject released in 1934 that was meant to showcase Marjorie White (who died in a car crash shortly after making this film, making it her last role), and her name's the only one on the initial title card. She does appear, and is a central player, but these days it's known as the first film from Columbia featuring Film/TheThreeStooges (albeit not in their actual stooge roles). |
| 412 | ** On television, it is often shown as the first Three Stooges "episode". |
| 413 | * The DVD cover for the 2009 film ''Women in Trouble'' shows a smiling Creator/JosephGordonLevitt among other women and Simon Baker. In reality, his appearance in the movie is actually past the very ending credits sequence showcasing his name among the cast and crew and is nothing more than a glorified cameo. His role was expanded in the sequel ''Electra Luxx'', where he is the film's narrator. |
| 414 | * ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': |
| 415 | ** Creator/AnnaPaquin (see ''The Piano'' example above) only appears in a brief cameo with no lines, but is listed higher than Creator/PeterDinklage and Creator/ElliotPage, whose characters have plenty of screentime and are essential to the plot. The reason is because most of her scenes were cut and only appear in a special edition Blu-Ray release (which is even titled "Rogue Cut" to acknowledge Paquin's character). |
| 416 | ** ComicBook/{{Storm|MarvelComics}} has a relatively minor role only featured in the future scenes, yet Creator/HalleBerry's name is listed above that of Creator/NicholasHoult, who plays Beast, one of the film's most important characters. |
| 417 | ** Similar to the Australian examples above, French advertisers made great mileage of the fact that Bishop was played by French actor Creator/OmarSy (who appears for a few minutes and has only a few lines of dialogue), some of them going as far as dubbing it "Creator/HughJackman and Omar Sy fighting enemies of mutantkind". |
| 418 | * ''Film/XMenApocalypse'', Creator/TyeSheridan and Creator/SophieTurner get billed below Creator/RoseByrne and Creator/EvanPeters, even if Cyclops and Jean Grey are very prominent characters with more screentime than Moira and Quicksilver. |
| 419 | * Marketing for ''[[Film/TheVanishing2018 The Vanishing]]'' leaned quite heavily on Creator/GerardButler presence. The film is in truth a three-hander, with Peter Mullan arguably playing the main character. |
| 420 | [[/folder]] |
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