"Goldmember" GONE as title for Austin Powers 3! (1 Viewer)

[Scott Weinberg]

http://www.joblo.com/movienews.htm#1839
Pretty surprising. All posters and trailers have been recalled. I'm betting MGM made a stink.

 

[Terrell]

Interesting Scott. I actually thought the trailer was funny. Doesn't say much for my sense of humor does it?

 

[Nick Sievers]

If I see the trailer one more time i'm going to go nuts!

Would MGM really have a case against the title though.

From the article:

MGM, who owns the rights to James Bond, threatened to sue over the use of the name "Goldmember." They claim the character and subtitle are too close to the James Bond film GOLDFINGER.

Just because its similar is that grounds for a law suit? I would understand if it was the same name.

 

[Carl Johnson]

It wouldn't be worth fighting MGM if they object to the title. Even if there isn't a legit case the cost of changing the title would be less than taking the thing to court. For all they know a judge could order the film cancelled the day before it was scheduled to release in theaters. How many millions of dollars would that cost?

 

[EricW]

i guess this rules out AUSTIN POWERS: GOLDFINGERed

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Sony Pictures sued Miramax/Dimension when they retitled what was then called Scary Movie to Scream as a year before they released the sci-fi stinker (and bomb) Screamers. Sony said the film had a "similar" title and that people could get confused. The final result, the judge let Miramax/Dimension keep the title Scream to use.

 

[Adam Barratt]

Hey, I like Screamers! :p)

Adam

 

[Tino]

So did I.

 

[JohnS]

Also remember the people who own Casper the friendly ghost sued Ghostbusters, becuase the ghosts were "too similar"

 

[Scott Weinberg]

This article certainly sheds some light:
Link Removed

 

[george kaplan]

This is just pathetic. The whole Austin Powers series is a spoof of James Bond, as were many tv shows and movies in the past. For them to say they won't let anyone use the Bond films in that way is just silly.
And what the hell does MGM gain from this? Letting it be called Goldmember would do nothing negative to the Bond films, and might actually increase interest in Goldfinger, whereas stopping it does nothing for them.
In my opinion, this is just more corporate stupidity. You'd think MGM had hired ex-Enron accountants for their Marketing dept. :frowning:

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

How is it that they can name a movie "The Spy Who Shagged Me" without so much as a stink, but get legal action over the title "Goldmember"?

MGM, lighten up. It's a parody, not an intentional rip-off of the movie you own.

I guess this incident bodes badly for Mad Magazine, whose entire purpose is to spoof films with eerily similar sounding names.

 

[Jason Hughes]

Pathetic. Very pathetic. Anybody from MGM reading this that supports removing the sub-name of Goldmember can go to hell. Get a life folks.
Sadly, like George said, the dumb sons of bitches are failing to realize that the whole Goldmemeber thing is basically free advertising for them.
What is really lame is that they decided to wait for trailers and posters and the like to be all over the place before pissing and whining. People knew for awhile that it was going to be called Goldmember. If you must be childish about it, why not put a stop to it then? Oh, wait. That would make too much sense.
Oh, well. All of this coming from the studio that bankrolled Supernova.

 

[Steve Christou]

Goldmember was a crappy title anyway, sounds like a credit card ad, and nearly as bad as Attack of the Killer Clones, I vote 'For Your Tits Only' as an alternative Austin Powers 3 subtitle.

 

[george kaplan]

How about these as alternate titles:

Dr. "No, we can't let them call it goldmember"

From MGM with Hate

You Only Spoof Us Twice

Diamonds and MGM's Stupidity are Forever

The Man with the Golden Gun Aimed at MGM's Head

Muckraker

For MGM's Eyes Only

MGM Has the Living Daylights Beat Out of Them

License to Act Stupid

MGM's Ignorance Never Dies

The Bond Franchise Itself is Not Enough

 

[bill lopez]

GOLDMEMBER. GOLDFINGER. I don't see the lawsuit.

I would think there would be more of a case in which Tony Blair would have in saying Austin Powers looks to much like him.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Oh, well. All of this coming from the studio that bankrolled Supernova.

Speaking of which, maybe MGM is sueing New Line to get some cash?
Hannibal's profit basically went to help MGM after the $75 million wreckage that was Supernova and who knows if the profit to Legally Blonde and Jeepers Creepers can help MGM when the $100 million plus Rollerball when it bombs?

 

[Sam Hatch]

The Spy Who Shagged Me was originally titled Austinpussy . They should try and use that name again!

 

[EricW]

i wonder if MGM has it in its contract that Pierce Brosnan isn't to appear in any Austin Powers movies, even ~after~ he's not playing Bond anymore
i remember Brosnan, under contract, could not wear a tux in any other movie, but he did wear one (albeit unbuttoned and with the bowtie undone) in Thoms Crown.

 

[Peter Kline]

And I was so looking forward to the title song!:frowning: