Why Channing Tatum's Blink Twice Couldn't Use Its Original Explicit Title
Channing Tatum is having a major moment. This summer sees the release of his romantic comedy "Fly Me to the Moon" as well as the thriller "Blink Twice," the latter of which was directed by his fiancé, Zoë Kravitz. The first trailer for "Blink Twice" tantalized audiences, and it seems like we're all in for a treat when it hits theaters.
Fans of Kravitz know that she's been cooking up "Blink Twice" since 2017, and now the thriller is finally set to debut in multiplexes around the globe — but something is different. For years, Kravitz has referred to the film with the NSFW title of "P***y Island." While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, she candidly revealed why the original explicit title had to be changed to the tamer "Blink Twice."
"It was made very clear to me that 'p***y is a word that we, our society, are not ready to embrace yet," Kravitz candidly explained. "There were a lot of roadblocks along the way, whether it be the MPAA not wanting to put it on a poster, or a billboard, or a kiosk; movie theaters not wanting to put it on a ticket."
Previously, while speaking with The Wall Street Journal in 2022, Kravitz remained adamant on sticking with the original title. But now that the film is ready to debut, Kravitz had to make a key decision. The actor-turned-director has spent countless years trying to bring "Blink Twice" to life, and seeing as the film serves as her directorial debut, she was keen on getting as much feedback as possible. When Kravitz went looking for answers, she realized that she had no choice but to pivot.
Zoe Kravitz's decision was influenced by her target audience
Continuing her chat with Entertainment Weekly, Zoë Kravitz revealed that her intent for the original title was to have it be empowering, especially amongst its target audience. In the end, though, Kravitz realized that her explicit title wasn't gelling with the demographic she hopes to see in theaters on opening day. "Interestingly enough, after researching it, women were offended by the word, and women seeing the title were saying, 'I don't want to see that movie,'" she said. As an artist, she added, she has a responsibility to listen to the demographic she wants to target.
"Blink Twice" is just the latest film to release in the wake of Channing Tatum's comeback; we hadn't seen the "Magic Mike" actor onscreen for several years prior to 2021's "Free Guy." The upcoming pic follows Frida (Naomi Ackie), a waitress invited by tech billionaire Slater King (Tatum) to a party on his private island. Things, obviously, don't go as planned during the lavish getaway, which is littered with mystery.
In her EW chat, Kravitz explained that the film's explicit title was directly tied to the project's themes. She also revealed that the OG name was the first thing she wrote down when it came time to tackle her debut. Despite initially fighting against the change, she's pleased with the film's theatrical title, saying, "I think everything happens for a reason, and I think it actually really focuses the movie in a great way."
Excited for "Blink Twice"? Revisit some of Tatum's classics, like a beloved 2010s romance flick that killed it on Netflix earlier this year.