‘Lee Daniels’ The Butler’ Gets First Posters Following MPAA Ruling

The Weinstein Co. has unveiled the first posters for “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” four days after it was forced to change the title from “The Butler.”

Both posters show a white-gloved Forest Whitaker along with the new title. TWC is releasing the film on Aug. 16.

The Motion Pictures Assn. of America ruled Friday that TWC could keep “The Butler” as part of the title but would have to change its marketing materials and pay $400,000 in fines for violating a July 2 finding that the use of “The Butler” as the title had violated MPAA rules because Warner Bros. owns rights to “The Butler.”

The ruling also required that, should TWC use “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” as the title, the “Lee Daniels” part of title had to be 75% the size of “The Butler.”

“The Butler” is centered on African-American butler Eugene Allen, who worked in the White House during eight presidencies throughout the civil rights era. The film also stars Oprah Winfrey.

TWC’s fine of $25,000 a day, dating back to July 2, is based on violating the initial ruling. The fine will increase to $50,000 a day if the studio fails to issue new digital materials (trailers, TV ads) by Thursday and new print materials by Aug. 2.

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