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What’s in a Title: Everything!

By Michael Schilf · May 10, 2010

When director David R. Ellis considered changing the title of “Snakes on a Plane” to “Pacific Air Flight 121”, star Samuel L. Jackson threatened to leave the film. “Snakes on a Plane, man!” Jackson said in his August, 2005 Collider interview, “That’s the only reason I took the job: I read the title.”

Clearly, the title alone was enough for Jackson, which is saying a lot, but when the title also generates a ton of pre-release interest on the Internet, it’s like hitting a grand slam before even stepping foot on the field. “Snakes on a Plane” is perhaps the best movie title of all time in this regard. Jackson knew he wasn’t going to snag an Academy award for his performance as FBI agent Neville Flynn, but he knew the film’s title would create a fan base. “You either want to see that, or you don’t.” He was right. A great title can be everything.