ShortList is supported by you, our amazing readers. When you click through the links on our site and make a purchase we may earn a commission. Learn more

40 original movie titles for some of Hollywood's biggest-ever movies

What films were almost called.

40 original movie titles for some of Hollywood's biggest-ever movies
Marc Chacksfield
28 August 2023

Picture the scene: it's 1985 and you are sitting down to watch one of the biggest new blockbusters of the movie world, one that will end up being loved by millions. Popcorn at the ready, the lights go down and the title appears, with the words: Spaceman from Pluto... Doesn't have quite the same ring to it as Back To The Future, does it?

That's because naming your movie is even harder than naming your child. No, stick with us on this one.

Your movie is going to live for longer (even if it's awful), it will come into contact with a wider cross-section of critical people and an entire marketing campaign will exist, based on that name.

So it's therefore understandable that a title may go through a number of different options, especially considering the amount of people involved.

Here's a look at an alternate universe where films all go by very different names...

Original movie titles

Original movie titles

1. Goodfellas

...was almost known as: Wiseguy

Year: 1990

22
9
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

2. Final Destination

...was almost known as: Flight 180

Year: 2000

16
6
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

3. Child's Play

...was almost known as: Batteries Not Included

Year: 1988

13
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

4. Predator

...was almost known as: Hunter

Year: 1987

12
2
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

5. Back To The Future

...was almost known as: Spaceman from Pluto

Year: 1985

18
11
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

6. Field Of Dreams

...was almost known as: Shoeless Joe

Year: 1989

14
7
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

7. Scream

...was almost known as: Scary Movie

Year: 1996

11
4
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

8. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

...was almost known as: Watch The Skies

Year: 1977

8
1
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

9. Big

..was almost known as: When I Grow Up

Year: 1988

7
2
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

10. Pulp Fiction

...was almost known as: Black Mask

Year: 1994

8
4
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

11. Alien

...was almost known as: Star Beast

Year: 1979

6
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

12. Robin Hood

...was almost known as: Nottingham

Year: 2010

6
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

13. Last Action Hero

...was almost known as: Extremely Violent

Year: 1993

6
4
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

14. Hancock

...was almost known as: Tonight, He Comes

Year: 2008

5
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

15. Vertigo

...was almost known as: Fear and Trembling

Year: 1958

5
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

16. Unforgiven

...was almost known as: The Cut Whore Killings

Year: 1992

7
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

17. Boys Don't Cry

...was almost known as: Take It Like A Man

Year: 1999

5
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

18. Casablanca

...was almost known as: Everybody Come To Rick's

Year: 1942

4
2
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

19. Stand By Me

...was almost known as: The Body

Year: 1986

5
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

20. Basic Instinct

...was almost known as: Love Hurts

Year: 1992

5
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

21. American Pie

...was almost known as: East Great Falls High

Year: 1999

3
2
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

22. The Other Guys

...was almost known as: The B-Team

Year: 2010

4
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

23. E.T.

...was almost known as: Night Skies

Year: 1982

6
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

24. Hollywoodland

...was almost known as:Truth, Justice and the American Way

Year: 2006

2
1
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

25. The Breakfast Club

...was almost known as: The Lunch Bunch

Year: 1985

5
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

26. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

...was almost known as: Head Cheese

Year: 1974

8
8
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

27. 2001: A Space Odyssey

...was almost known as: How The Solar Space Was Won

Year: 1968

5
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

28. Saturday Night Fever

...was almost known as: The Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night

Year: 1977

5
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

29. Licence To Kill

...was almost known as: Licence Revoked

Year: 1989

4
4
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

30. American Wedding

...was almost known as: American Pie 3: Piece Of Pie

Year: 2003

3
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

31. Fatal Attraction

...was almost known as: Affairs Of The Heart

Year: 1987

3
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

32. The Ring

...was almost known as: Static

Year: 2002

6
6
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

33. Letters From Iwo Jima

...was almost known as: Red Sun, Black Sand

Year: 2006

3
3
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

34. Shutter Island

...was almost known as: Ashecliffe

Year: 2010

2
4
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

35. Annie Hall

...was almost known as: Anhedonia

Year: 1977

2
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

36. Snakes On A Plane

...was almost known as: Pacific Air Flight 121

Year: 2006

2
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

37. The Last Exorcism

...was almost known as: Cotton

Year: 2010

1
4
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

38. Cars

...was almost known as: Route 66

Year: 2006

2
6
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

39. Obsessed

...was almost known as: Oh No She Didn't

Year: 2009

1
5
Thanks for voting
Original movie titles

40. Some Like It Hot

...was almost known as: Not Tonight Josephine

Year: 1959

50
155
Thanks for voting

SOMETHING MISSING FROM OUR SHORTLIST?

Tell us about it, and if enough people agree we'll add it in.