Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Do American mass shootings change the way you watch gun violence in Hollywood movies? Should they? Nobody blames moviegoers for enjoying that brand of entertainment, no matter how many bullets fly for two straight hours.
But we continue to find ourselves asking these questions in the wake of more violent tragedies involving guns.
As a fan of action movies dating back to the dawn of the medium, I'm as big a fan of directors like John Woo, James Cameron, Martin Scorsese and Michael Bay, whose work is steeped in gun violence merely meant to put smiles on the faces of those seeking it out. That said, in light of so many real world atrocities, it's now hard to ignore all the posters featuring A-list celebrities brandishing firearms when I walk into the theater lobby.
With larger platforms, people are louder than ever about the gun debate. But even real world incidents haven't stopped Hollywood from appealing to our firearm-infused sensibilities. We have a thirst for cinematic carnage propelled by balletic bullet battles, and we don't think twice about it. So that's why we see so many guns in our movie marketing. In fact, it's hard to avoid it.
In the aftermath of the Orlando nightclub massacre last year, I compiled a list of 25 releases from 2016 whose posters feature characters with guns. And little more than one year later, after the horrible tragedy that left 59 dead in Las Vegas, it's hard not to notice how prominent guns remain on movie posters, perhaps even more than ever.
This time, we found 41 posters from films released in 2017.
Again, no one blames you (or me) for champing at the bit to see movies that have gun play. We love movies of all kinds that involve firearms be they based in reality or fantasy. Certain genres about real people and historical events make it impossible to avoid telling stories without the use of those kinds of weapons.
But as the gun debate continues to rage on, we can't help but notice movie posters like these from Hollywood, a place perceived as a liberal paradise keen on preaching about moral values and responsibilities. Does that make Hollywood hypocritical? Take a look at these posters from 2017, and you tell us.
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
We repeat: It's nothing new
Dating back to the dawn of movie marketing, guns have dominated movie posters. And why shouldn't they? Even those looking to films as an escape from the horrors of the real world rarely hesitate to buy a ticket for the latest action flick in which our hero vanquishes villains with a 9-milimeter or 12-gauge. It's a part of our DNA, thus it's a part of Hollywood's. Their product reflects our wants and desires, so that's why Dirty Harry holds a .44 Magnum.
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Alien: Covenant
Similar to the imagery we saw in earlier "Alien" films starring Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, here we see Katherine Waterston brandishing a sorta space machine gun of sorts to fight off her xenomorph counterpart. (20th Century Fox)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
American Assassin
This thriller follows a young CIA black ops recruit who helps a Cold War veteran try to stop the detonation of a rogue nuclear weapon. Stars Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton and Taylor Kitsch are all packing here. (CBS Films)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Atomic Blonde
In this thriller, Charlize Theron plays a spy who has to find a list of double agents who are being smuggled into the West, on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. And she knows how to use a large handgun, as the poster makes clear. (Focus Features)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Baby Driver
Edgar Wright's heist thriller/musical sees thousands of rounds fired for about two straight hours, as it follows thugs who rob banks and shoot at anyone who chases them. Wright has never shied away from his interest in gun play on film.
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Blade Runner 2049
Opening this week, "Blade Runner 2049" brings back the futuristic police-issued pistol first introduced in the 1982 predecessor. (Warner Bros.)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
The Dark Tower
A flop at the box office, this long-awaited Stephen King adaptation features a character named The Gunslinger, here played by Idris Elba. The trailer is riddled with bullets. (Columbia Pictures)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan's heart-pounding epic takes place during World War II, where there were guns. Again, some films cannot avoid telling the stories without firearms, namely war pictures. (Warner Bros.)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
The Foreigner
Jackie Chan plays a mild-mannered businessman seeking revenge after his daughter suddenly dies. This is a foreign poster, and it ain't subtle. (STX)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Free Fire
Set in Boston in 1978, Ben Wheatley's film is about a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs that turns into a shootout and a game of survival. All kinds of guns here, the poster tells us. (StudioCanal UK)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Ghost in the Shell
Scarlett Johannson plays a cyborg supersoldier who yearns to learn her past in this manga adaptation. (Paramount/DreamWorks)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
The Girl with All the Gifts
This sci-fi film depicts a dystopian future following a breakdown of society after most of humanity is wiped out by a fungal infection. And you still need guns in a post-apocalyptic world. (Warner Bros.)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Going in Style
This old-timer comedy (directed by Zach Braff?!) follows a trio of retirees who plan to rob a bank after their pensions are cancelled. Morgan Freeman has the pistol on the poster. (Warner Bros.)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Do space guns count? If so, count this Marvel sequel (featuring a machine gun-wielding talking raccoon) among the rest. (Disney)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
The Hitman's Bodyguard
This action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson follows a bodyguard who is hired to protect a hitman who has to testify at the International Criminal Court. Multiple posters, multiple guns. (Lionsgate)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Macon Blair's Sundance hit is plenty silly, but also features some grisly gun violence. (Netflix)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
John Wick: Chapter 2
After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, retired hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life. Probably more guns and bullets than any movie on this list. (Summit Entertainment)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
If the first film and these posters are any indication, the "Kingsman" sequel has its fair share of gun play. (20th Century Fox)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Kong: Skull Island
Set during the Vietnam War, it features soldiers carrying rifles to fight King Kong or whatever else they encounter. (Warner Bros.)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
How do you kill zombies? With a bunch of guns. Duh. (Sony)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
xXx: Return of Xander Cage
The "xXx: Return of Xander Cage" marketing campaign saw a slew of character posters with individual actors holding all kinds of firearms. These are four of them. (Paramount)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Sleepless
Jamie Foxx plays a cop. Cops carry guns. At least this one is holstered. (Open Road)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
The Snowman
It's tiny, but the gun here is held by Michael Fassbender, who stars in the upcoming horror film "The Snowman." (Universal)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
The Wall
WWE star/actor John Cena plays a sniper in Doug Liman's war thriller. (Roadside Attractions)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Unlocked
Despite the all-star cast, we won't see didn't see this thriller (complete with silencers) in many American theaters.
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
War for the Planet of the Apes
Reflecting man's instinct for survival and violence at nearly every step, we see apes brandishing guns (and other firepower) all throughout this epic. (20th Century Fox)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
War on Everyone
Two corrupt cops set out to blackmail and frame every criminal unfortunate enough to cross their path. And people probably get shot. (Icon Film Distribution)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Wind River
Agents try to solve a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming in this western mystery from the writer of bullet-heavy "Hell or High Water." (The Weinstein Company)
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
What part do movies play?
Do movies and other media play a role in creating a violent culture in reality?
Again, these movie posters are nothing new. But the prevalence of guns in our movie marketing becomes more and more noticeable with each bit of shocking and tragic news of gun violence in the real world.
Has gun violence ever changed how you watch movies or perceive their marketing? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com
Guns on 2016 Movie Posters
See our list of 25 movie posters from 2016 that sold us with guns
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