The Avengers re-named in the UK ..........

[Captain Villa]

To "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE" ................Ridiculous.



http://www.entertainmentwise.com/new...w-Title-Poster

How stupid and insulting to us UK fans.

[Chewy]

This is your punishment for getting the movie in April

[Captain Villa]

Its like renaming Batman to "Flying mouse man" in Norway.

Can't believe they've done this to an iconic title.

[Deejo]

Originally Posted by Chewy

This is your punishment for getting the movie in April

April 25th in Australia, and no name change. The Lucky Country

[R_Hythlodeus]

One would think the fact that John Steed and Emma Peel are missing on the poster shkuld be hint enough

[Lady Marion]

Yeah, it's weird.

Here in Germany a band formerly called Allianz had to rename because a big insurance company had the same. If people would be confused about it?!?

Maybe the companies or whoever should have a little more trust in the intelligence of the people.

[Adamantium Man]

I think it's a legal matter. If a name is protected, i.e. is a brand name, then nobody else can use it. Potential confusion doesn't enter into it.

[Captain Villa]

Originally Posted by R_Hythlodeus

One would think the fact that John Steed and Emma Peel are missing on the poster shkuld be hint enough

That Sir ......... is probably why.

[ironmaidenrules]

But the title wasn't "the avengers" it was"Marvel's the avengers"

[Adamantium Man]

A company I once worked for had legal trouble because their name was just one letter different from another company's name. It wasn't the same word, and there still was trouble. "Marvel's The Avengers" might be considered too similar to "The Avengers". If that's the reason.

[ironmaidenrules]

Ugh, but the Maria stark foundation owns the rights to that name

[The Morningstar]

Originally Posted by Adamantium Man

I think it's a legal matter. If a name is protected, i.e. is a brand name, then nobody else can use it. Potential confusion doesn't enter into it.

Yea it is probably that. It's a legal issue.

That said, has the title of the film actually been changed? Or is it just on that poster, as a tag line?

[hopefuldreamer]

Does anyone remember 'The New Adventures of Superman' or 'Smallville: Superman the early years' ?

This is really no surprise.

Thing is, I don't see how adding 'assemble' makes it any clearer it's nothing to do with the other Avengers... Just makes it sound like an origin story

[Godzilla2000]

I'm guessing this is not to have it confused with the cult 60's show called Avengers.

[Moridin]

There was no need to change the title. Nobody is going to confuse this with the '98 film or a TV series from 40 years ago.

Avengers Assemble is just.... not a good movie title. They could of at least gone with "The Avenger Initiative" or something.

[The Morningstar]

I don't think it has to do with confusing people, i think it's a legal thing.

But yea, The Avenger Initiative sounds sooooo much better.

Seriously, someone needs to get in contact with Marvel and tell them the title "Avengers Assemble" is laughable.

[Lady Marion]

Originally Posted by Adamantium Man

I think it's a legal matter. If a name is protected, i.e. is a brand name, then nobody else can use it. Potential confusion doesn't enter into it.

But if a brand name is protected what makes the difference between "The Avengers", "Marvel's The Avengers" an "Avengers Assemble"? As you said - then nobody else can use it -. I don't know what the laws are in detail here. Anybody here who can enlighten me?

[DOOZlovesBOOZ]

Originally Posted by Lady Marion

But if a brand name is protected what makes the difference between "The Avengers", "Marvel's The Avengers" an "Avengers Assemble"? As you said - then nobody else can use it -. I don't know what the laws are in detail here. Anybody here who can enlighten me?

Not an expert but i know copy right laws are really particular. I think using Marvel's The Avengers still wouldn't cut it becuase they are still using the copy right protected title with the only difference being a word that shows possession beforehand. The could use Avengers Initiative tho.

[Godzilla2000]

You know, I'm just picturing all these Brit Baby Boomers going into the theater to see Avengers, perhaps saying "It's about time they remade that rubbish movie that had Ralph Fiennes in it. Hopefully this time they'll get it right." I guess Scarlet in her catsuit is kind of Emma Peel-like.

[Dark Raven]

Originally Posted by Moridin

There was no need to change the title. Nobody is going to confuse this with the '98 film or a TV series from 40 years ago.

Avengers Assemble is just.... not a good movie title. They could of at least gone with "The Avenger Initiative" or something.

Or the Mighty Avengers, like we're getting The Amazing Spider-Man or had The Incredible Hulk.

Originally Posted by DOOZlovesBOOZ

Not an expert but i know copy right laws are really particular. I think using Marvel's The Avengers still wouldn't cut it becuase they are still using the copy right protected title with the only difference being a word that shows possession beforehand. The could use Avengers Initiative tho.

That's not to do with Copyright. As far as copyright of a film/ work title is concerned, I don't think it can be copyrighted. That's why several books, songs or even films can have the same name as a previous one - eg two films with the name "Black Rain" were released in the same year (1989), almost at the same time, both with strong Japanese themes.

If there's a legal issue, it's to do with Trademarks and/or Passing Off with regard to brand names.

So in the case of the animated movie "The Iron Giant" which was adapted from the novel "The Iron Man" by Ted Hughes (rechristened "The Iron Giant" in the US), if Marvel's Iron Man weren't already a trademarked character, then there wouldn't have been any issue with having two films of the same/ simlar name - ie The Iron Man and Iron Man.

With the 60s series "The Avengers", that is probably a trademarked franchise over here in the UK. The thing is however, that two things with the same name can be trademarked in different fields - eg Iron Man as a comic character and Ironman as the triathlon event.

Now both the 60s series "The Avengers" and Marvel's "The Avengers" are in the same entertainment/ film field, but the question is whether there is some kind of sub division within that field that would allow both to co-exist legally - eg the 60s series "The Avengers" might only apply to a spy genre whereas Marvel's The Avengers is a superhero genre. Would there be confusion between the two? Probably not, but I don't know how broad the scope of the 60s Avengers tv series trademark is such that it excludes Marvel's The Avengers from using that name in the UK.

[RaZaTrOn]

We also get it a day earlier now though, 26th rather than the 27th

[DOOZlovesBOOZ]

Originally Posted by Dark Raven

Or the Mighty Avengers, like we're getting The Amazing Spider-Man or had The Incredible Hulk.



That's not to do with Copyright. As far as copyright of a film/ work title is concerned, I don't think it can be copyrighted. That's why several books, songs or even films can have the same name as a previous one - eg two films with the name "Black Rain" were released in the same year (1989), almost at the same time, both with strong Japanese themes.

If there's a legal issue, it's to do with Trademarks and/or Passing Off with regard to brand names.

So in the case of the animated movie "The Iron Giant" which was adapted from the novel "The Iron Man" by Ted Hughes (rechristened "The Iron Giant" in the US), if Marvel's Iron Man weren't already a trademarked character, then there wouldn't have been any issue with having two films of the same/ simlar name - ie The Iron Man and Iron Man.

With the 60s series "The Avengers", that is probably a trademarked franchise over here in the UK. The thing is however, that two things with the same name can be trademarked in different fields - eg Iron Man as a comic character and Ironman as the triathlon event.

Now both the 60s series "The Avengers" and Marvel's "The Avengers" are in the same entertainment/ film field, but the question is whether there is some kind of sub division within that field that would allow both to co-exist legally - eg the 60s series "The Avengers" might only apply to a spy genre whereas Marvel's The Avengers is a superhero genre. Would there be confusion between the two? Probably not, but I don't know how broad the scope of the 60s Avengers tv series trademark is such that it excludes Marvel's The Avengers from using that name in the UK.

Point proven, i just know they get really particular about those issues.

[Nevincer]

Wow, I'm offended.

[The_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Captain Villa

Its like renaming Batman to "Flying mouse man" in Norway.

Can't believe they've done this to an iconic title.

More like 'Batman' to "I'm Batman"

[Dark Raven]

Originally Posted by DOOZlovesBOOZ

Point proven, i just know they get really particular about those issues.

They do, because of the resulting problem of passing off and benefiting off someone's good name/ not wishing to be associated with something that has had a bad name. This even happens between trademarks in different fields - eg between Lego and Lego Lemelstrich where the former makes plastic toy bricks and the latter made irrigation equipment. You'd think that the two fields are as different as they could get, but because Lego is such a world recognised brand name, the possibility of misrepresentation and confusion is more likely, as was ruled by the judge in that case.

The name "The Avengers" in the UK is more known for the British 60s series than for the Marvel comic. I did wonder a long time ago whether there was going to be a problem but when the film has been referred to as "The Avengers" for the past year or so, it seemed as if they had either circumvented that problem or it wasn't an issue at all. Maybe it is. If it isn't because of a legal issue as such, then Marvel maybe don't want negative association with the 1998 flop which might deter audiences in the same way that they've already experienced a problem with Ang Lee's Hulk and TIH.

It's like the Sci-Fi series "Eureka." Over here in the UK they call it "A Town Called Eureka" so as not to confuse it with another science-based educational programme called Eureka or another one called Eureka TV.