Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is getting a title change in certain cinemas – and for a very sensible reason.
This week it emerged that some US cinema chains would be changing the title to the much punchier Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey after a disappointing start at the box office.
Warner Bros has now clarified to The Verge that change at those chains is to help "search expansion for ticket sites" – so basically making it easier for search engine optimisation (SEO).
Related: How Birds of Prey gets right what Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker got wrong
It also seems that adding Harley Quinn to the front of the title makes it clearer who the movie is actually about.
AMC and Regal are currently running with the new title on their websites, though UK chains appear to be keeping the original title on theirs.
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It comes after Birds of Prey made a disappointing debut at the box office over the weekend, earning $33 million in the US after being projected to make between $50-$55 million.
Related: All the Birds of Prey Easter eggs, nods, and comic book references
Many theories have surfaced as to why the movie has made a bad start, some suggesting its R-rating shuts out a younger demographic.
Despite the box office performance, Birds of Prey has been largely well-received by critics, many praising it as entertaining and a great respite from the male-dominated DC movies that had come before.
Birds of Prey is out now in UK and US cinemas.
![Birds of Prey [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1581090178-51o7oKMMEL.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Birds of Prey [DVD]")
![Birds of Prey: The Album [Explicit]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1581090493-51lCDEoox4L.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Birds of Prey: The Album [Explicit]")
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
