A title like The Lost City of D feels like a perfect send up of romance/adventure novels, and a really funny name to boot. Yet, somewhere along the way, Paramount was convinced it had to drop the “D,” thus tweaking the title to the more conservative The Lost City. There’s bound to be some who have thoughts about this small, but still disappointing change, and star Channing Tatum is one of 'em.
While promoting his latest film Dog, Tatum was part of an interview with Variety that delved into the actor’s inspiration behind making his directorial debut. Naturally, mixed with the finer details about making that film were details about the upcoming romantic adventure comedy with Sandra Bullock. Along with talk of that big nude scene he filmed with those nasty (but thankfully fake) leeches, Channing Tatum admitted he loved the "D."
I wished they wouldn’t have dropped the ‘D,’ You never drop the ‘D.’
“You never drop the ‘D’.” If ever there was a saying that needed to be commemorated on Channing Tatum authorized memorabilia or at least a meme, it’s that one there. Of course, it also helps that it’s just part of the man’s inherent charm when it comes to promoting a movie like The Lost City; which will always be connected to the “D,” and no comedic cameo from Brad Pitt is going to change that.
To be fair, there could have been a concern among Paramount executives about whether or not the original title would be confused with that of the Amazon original film The Lost City of Z. That too was a jungle adventure, but a more serious tale that starred Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Holland. That might feel like a bit of a stretch, but, hey, in a world where Hotel Artemis can be confused with The House with a Clock in Its Walls, anything is fair game.
Ultimately, it’s up to the viewing public to decide whether The Lost City is the better title to the movie. What better way to test that debate than to partake in the film’s hilarious trailer once more, while keeping one question firmly in mind: Does this movie look like it needed to drop the “D?”
Maybe with enough pushback, and a hell of a run at the box office, The Lost City can once more find the “D” that Channing Tatum is so fond of. An alternate cut could be marketed as containing “more D than you can handle,” which would still work since Sandra Bullock’s current romance novel in the film’s universe still bears the original title. If Edge of Tomorrow and Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn can take that title tweaking gamble, why not roll those dice on this potential winner?
No matter what you prefer to call it, The Lost City storms its way into theaters, hair blowing in the wind and muscles exposed, on March 25th. Meanwhile, you can catch Channing Tatum in his co-directing debut with Dog, which is set to release this weekend. Those aren't the only storybook capers headed to the movies in 2022, and our rundown of upcoming movies is the map to finding treasure at your local movie house.
