35 Greatest Movie Title Cards

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The typeface might be nothing to write home about, the block of blue behind it might be slightly obvious; but John Belushi glaring at Dan Ayckroyd makes for a classic and iconic card that sums up the pair’s on screen relationship.

Big (1988)

He's so big, even the title looks small. Gettit? That said, what the title lacks in stature, it makes up for by being double underlined.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Little Miss Sunshine isn't your average feel-good smash, and the opening titles live up to this notion as the word "sunshine" flashes up over Steve Carrell's distinctly unsunny character.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Yellow. Arguably Wes Anderson's favourite colour, and used with great abandon throughout the charming Moonrise Kingdom , the titles stick to this theme. An ornate, loopy typeface sets the tone for an ornate and loopy film.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

The title sequence for The Adventures of Tintin pays homage to creator Hergé, using the typeface from the graphic novels and the original artist's style. It's hard not to wish that the whole film had been shot in this style.

Atonement (2007)

Aptly using the kind of typeface you might expect your call-up papers for the Great War to have been written in, Atonement's title card is simple and unassuming, but devastatingly powerful.

Life of Pi (2012)

An animal-stuffed menagerie of a film reflected by lush titles slipping on and off-screen like shy deer startled by predators.

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)

Like an advert for an old-timey illusionist or silent movie star, Oz shows the important of a title card in setting the aesthetic style for the rest of a film.

Submarine (2010)

As Oliver Tate proves throughout the course of the film (and a wonderful evening of lovemaking,) sometimes it's hip to be square.

Metropolis (1927)

It's difficult to capture the power of Metropolis ' titles given their constant animation, so it's worth watching them for yourself. A masterclass in brutal, artistic graphic design.

Latest in Movies
Ben Affleck in Air
Ben Affleck isn't in The Odyssey, but he plans to visit the set anyway to watch Christopher Nolan work: "He's one of the greatest filmmaking architects to ever live"
Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's Justice League
Ben Affleck reflects on the "excruciating experience" playing Batman in the Zack Snyder movies: "A lot of it was misalignment of agendas, understandings, expectations"
Dan Stevens in supernatural horror The Ritual
The Godfather and Godzilla x Kong stars' new exorcism horror The Ritual gets a creepy first trailer
Saw X
Billy the Puppet gives Saw fans some hope on the future of the horror franchise by updating his LinkedIn profile to "employed"
Final Destination Bloodlines
Final Destination: Bloodlines drops new trailer with a first look at the return of the late Tony Todd to the horror franchise
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in Superman
Superman star to lead upcoming thriller movie from Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train director
Latest in Features
Yasuke and Naoe ready to fight on the Assassin's Creed Shadows On The Radar thumbnail
On The Radar: Assassin's Creed Shadows coverage hub
Captain Planet #1
Captain Planet is back after 33 years with a "sexy" makeover and a message that's as important as ever: "Reality has gotten a lot less subtle"
Assassin's Creed 3 screenshot of Desmond hilding a circular Isu artifact
Assassin's Creed Shadows' modern storyline is kind of non-existent and I couldn't be happier about it
An Assassin's Creed Shadows On The Radar thumbnail showing Yasuke and Oda Nobunaga armored up and on horseback, ready to ride to battle
"We really wanted you to live this history": Assassin's Creed Shadows is all about "perspective", says the game's cinematic director
A screenshot of a pink-haired protagonist in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, surrounded by other BLADE soldiers and a Skell.
I spent 10 years waiting for the answers to Xenoblade Chronicles X's haunting cliffhanger ending, and it was worth the wait
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot of an enemy falling backwards through the air away from Yasuke who's just performed a War Kick
Forget the hidden blade: if you're not yeeting enemies in Assassin's Creed Shadows, you're missing out