How Come Most Martial Arts Movies Released Overseas Have Different Titles When Released In The US?

Question

Some examples are:

"Kung Fu Hustle" is called "Kung Fu" overseas

"Jet Li's Fearless" is called "Huo Yuanjia" overseas

Jet Li's Twin Warriors is called "Tai Chi Master" overseas

Jet Li's "Fist of Legend" is called "Hero of Jing Wu" overseas

Why do they do this with the titles?

Answer 1

I think it's because those titles are in the foreign country's own language. It's easier for them. If they want a certain movie, it's too hard to try and pronounce a new language so they say it in their own language.

Answer 2

To make them more or exciting/descriptive or because there were problems in translation.

Answer 3

in different countries such as China, if we were to share the same title, it would be perceived very different from both audiences due to the way they were brought up with words and titles. its juss that deep meaning that a general audience can understand. Lets take Fearless for example, We as Americans love the drama even if its off the border ridiculous when we see it the second time. So when the title,"Fearless" shows up, 2 things are in effect, one, martial arts isn't a very big part of American Tradition, so the idea of one man fighting lots of people in a tournament, no matter the size or ability they have, he goes on. But in the Chinese culture however, there have been many people they know who were strong or many heroes that have done the same, so juss putting the name of the warrior to be specific makes more sense. i do hope you guys get this but its juss the way it is.

For example the movie Tom Yum Goong, an action movie with Rising Action Star Tony Jaa, the American Title is "The Protector", reason why they changed it is that Tom Yum Goong is the name of a dish in Thailand which over there the problem of the story or the rising action takes place over there, i think. But wat American would want to see a movie with a foreign name expecting it would be about a Thailand food dish rather than a martial arts movie, ya get me??