Fans upset title of “terrifying” 2024 horror movie changed

A 2024 horror movie has been generating plenty of hype, but the “terrifying” flick has also caused upset after changing its title. 

Movies changing their titles is nothing new, especially in the tech era – love it or hate it, SEO is real, and sometimes studios need to boost their odds. Take a look at DC’s Birds of Prey, which theaters changed to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey in the hope of boosting ticket sales. 

Or it could be for regional reasons. The big screen adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, for example, was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the US to match the book, which itself was adapted as the book publishers thought American kids might be more familiar with the word “sorcerer.”

A WIP title for an anticipated 2024 horror movie has now also been replaced ahead of its release, but the news hasn’t gone down too well with some. 

Fans upset title of 2024 horror movie Tarot changed

Fun fact, the upcoming horror movie Tarot, which has been described as “2024’s Talk to Me,” used to be named Horrorscope – and many fans wish it would have stayed the same. 

With horoscopes and astrology becoming a staple of pop culture, Horrorscope is some mighty smart word play – but perhaps Sony Pictures may have wanted Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg’s film title to match its content for SEO purposes?

This is a trend we’re seeing more and more these days – just take a look at the biggest hitters of the past year, Barbie and Oppenheimer. Tarot is doing the same, with the plot centering on a group of friends who start dying in ways related to their card readings.

Taking to X, one wrote: “NOOOO THEY CHANGED THE TITLE FROM HORRORSCOPE TO TAROT WHY CAN’T WE HAVE FUN ANYMORE???” Another said, “Personally, I was more interested in seeing #Tarot when it was still called Horrorscope.”

“Looks fun but I’m deducting points for them dropping the punnery when changing titles. Especially when ‘Scare-ot’ is right there,” added a third, while a fourth commented, “Renamed the movie from Horrorscope to Tarot. Jail.”

Titles aside, Tarot looks like a lot of fun. The synopsis states, “When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings – never use someone else’s deck – they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. 

“One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death to escape the future foretold in their readings.”

Tarot arrives in cinemas on May 10, 2024.