Captain America will keep its patriotic full title in New Zealand and most of the world when the superhero adventure hits the big screen later this month.
Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios gave distributors around the world the option of shortening the title of Captain America: The First Avenger to simply The First Avenger, out of concern about anti-American sentiment.
But the only countries that took them up on it were Russia, Ukraine and South Korea.
“There was some discussion about changing the name of the film to The First Avenger,” a spokesman from Paramount Pictures New Zealand confirms.
“This wasn’t so much for reasons of anti-American sentimentality as much as keeping the title brief, recognisable, and extending the Avengers franchise into the public domain.
“In the end it was decided that Captain America: The First Avenger was the best title to use as it better introduced the elements of the film and franchise to the New Zealand audience.”
Movie titles often are changed outside the US for cultural reasons or because the original names don't translate well. In French-speaking countries, The Hangover and its sequel were titled Very Bad Trip.
Starring Chris Evans as the patriotic super-soldier, Captain America opens in US on July 22 and in New Zealand on July 28.
AP / 3 News