Was "Licence to Kill" originally titled "Licence Revoked"?

Question

Is there any proof that the James Bond movie Licence to Kill was actually going to be titled "Licence Revoked"?

If yes, then was it because it was believed that the audience, at that time, was too stupid and would have wondered why James Bond would not be allowed to drive?

I don't think it's stupidity as much as the prevalence of a common idiom. Having one's "license revoked" in the U.S. typically refers to having one's driver's license taken away; so much so that any other meaning would require explanation. — Jadasc, Commented Dec 29, 2011 at 14:56
It's got nothing to do with with the audience being "too stupid". — Django Reinhardt, Commented Nov 19, 2012 at 8:01
Funny, all these years I have misremembered it as Licence Renewed. Perhaps I read that from someone who was misinformed that it was based on the novel. — Anton Sherwood, Commented Jul 22 at 5:52

score 17 · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-19 09:33:53Z

17

Yes, it is true. When the movie was test screened in US, it had the name "Licence Revoked" but after the test screening the audience associated it too strongly with driving.

Sources: here and here.

Some have speculated that the change might have had something to do with Greg Beeman's License to Drive, but this was released over a year earlier, so it's highly unlikely.

edited Nov 19, 2012 at 9:33

answered Dec 29, 2011 at 10:26

user96

2

Neither of those sources is definitive. The first wiki link has suffered rot and doesn't say anything about the film's title and the guardian article just repeats the story without offering any proof.
– Valorum
Commented Jul 20 at 12:58

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Valorum · Accepted Answer · 2024-07-20 13:29:21Z

It's not in dispute that the film was retitled (See below). The wider question is why. There are persistent rumours that it was because Americans didn't know what the word 'revoked' meant, but the more mundane reason, at least according to Bond scholar Jim Smith, is that the title tested poorly with US audiences who mostly associated the term with having a driving licence suspended.

As has been often reported, the picture was originally entitled Licence Revoked, and indeed publicity material bearing this title still exists. This was changed after research in the American market confirmed that ‘Licence Revoked’ was a common phrase suggesting the withdrawal of a driving licence. The idea that most American consumers did not know the meaning of the word ‘revoked’ appears to be an urban myth originating in British newspapers.

Jim Smith: Bond Films

Set photos