Billing is a film term denoting the amount and order in which film credits information is presented in advertising and on the film itself. Information given in billing usually consists of the actors appearing in the movie, the directors, producers, the companies producing and distributing the movie (by name and/or logo), and artistic and technical crew. The title of the movie is also considered to be part of the billing. Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... The examples and perspective in this article do not represent a worldwide view. ...

Historically, on-screen billing was presented at the beginning of a film, with only a restatement of the cast, with perhaps a few additional players, at the end. Since the early 1970s, however, at least some significant amount of the billing has been reserved to follow the end of the film (generally also including a recap of the billing shown at the beginning); and by the 1990s, some films had moved all billing except company logos and the title to the film's end. Although popularised by the Star Wars series (see below), this 'title-only' billing became an established form for summer blockbusters with the release of Lethal Weapon 2 in 1989. This has led to an occasional practice of even leaving the title to the end, e.g., The Mummy Returns (2001). Opening logo to the Star Wars films Star Wars is a science fantasy saga and fictional galaxy created by writer / producer / director George Lucas during the 1970s. ... Lethal Weapon 2 is the second movie in the Lethal Weapon series, released in 1989. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Mummy Returns is a 2001 movie starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and is directed by Stephen Sommers. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

Actor/director billing

Generally speaking, the order in which credits are billed signify their importance to the film. For example, the first is usually the motion picture company, followed by the director, producer, major starring actors, the title of the movie, then the rest of the starring actors. The order in which the latter are billed are usually always directly related to an individual's status in the film industry or role in the film. If the main credits occur at the beginning, then the director's name is last to be shown before the film's narrative starts. However, if all the billing happens at the end, then his/her name will be displayed first. Depending on their standing, they may be granted an additional credit such as, for instance, "A Steven Spielberg Film". The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. ... Steven Allan Spielberg KBE (born December 18, 1946) is a three-time Academy Award-winning American film director and producer. ...

The actors whose names appear first are said to have "top billing". They usually play the principal characters in the film and have the most screen time. Well-known actors may, however, be given top billing for publicity purposes if juvenile, lesser-known, or first-time performers appear in a larger role: e.g., Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman were both credited above Christopher Reeve in Superman (1978), despite Reeve playing the title character. Top-billed actors are almost always named also in advertising material such as trailers, posters, billboards and TV spots. Having a particular star at top billing can often draw audiences to see a movie regardless of any other aspect of it. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Marlon Brando, Jr. ... Eugene Allen Hackman[1] (born January 30, 1930) is an Academy Award-winning American actor, considered by many to be one of the most talented performers of his generation. ... Cripples McGee (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. ... Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, Superman Superman, also known as Superman: The Movie, is a 1978 Warner Bros. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Theatrical trailers are film advertisements for films that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema, on whose screen they are shown; they are commonly known as previews of coming attractions. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Also, an actor may also receive "last billing", which usually designates a smaller role played by a famous name. They are usually credited after the rest of the lead cast, prefixed with "and". In some cases, the name was followed by "as" plus the name of the character. This is obviously not done if that character is unseen for a great part of the movie (see Ernst Stavro Blofeld). Blofeld redirects here. ...

The two or three top-billed actors in a movie will usually be announced prior to the title of the movie, this is referred to as "above-title billing". For an actor to receive it, he/she will generally have to be well-established, with box-office drawing power. Those introduced afterwards are generally considered to be the supporting cast, not the actual "stars" of the movie.

Actors that may have higher status in the industry won't always get top billing: if they only played a bit-part then it would go to the person whose character was the main focus of the movie. Some major actors may have a cameo, where they are only noted within the other cast during the end credits. Sometimes top billing will be given based on a person's level of fame. For example, besides his brief appearance in Superman, Marlon Brando received top billing in both The Godfather and Apocalypse Now: his role in the latter could also be considered an extended cameo. Martin Scorsese appears briefly in an uncredited role in this scene from his feature film Taxi Driver. ... The Godfather is a 1972 crime film directed and co-written by Francis Ford Coppola based on the the novel of the same name authored by the screenplays co-writer Mario Puzo. ... Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American film about a soldiers journey during the Vietnam War. ...

If more than one name appears at the same time or of a similar size, then those actors have "equal billing", with their importance decreasing from left to right. If a film has an ensemble cast with no clear lead role, it is traditional to bill the participants alphabetically or in the order of their on-screen appearance. An ensemble cast is a cast in which the principal performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance in a dramatic production. ...

Competitive top billing

Sometimes actors can become highly competitive over the order of billing. For example:

• In the film Ocean's Twelve, Catherine Zeta-Jones received billing over Julia Roberts, which reportedly led to a feud between the pair. ^{[citation needed]}
• In The Bonfire of the Vanities, award-winning F. Murray Abraham asked for above-title billing. This was rejected as too many other stars were getting it (Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith). Thus, Abraham asked for his name to be completely removed, even from the credits.
• Gary Oldman requested his name be completely removed from the billing and credits of Hannibal, though Nathan Murray is still credited as "Mr. Oldman's assistant".
• In the film Miami Vice, Colin Farrell originally received top billing. However, after Jamie Foxx won an Academy Award he requested top billing and received it.

Oceans Twelve is a 2004 film that takes place after the events of the 2001 movie Oceans Eleven. ... Catherine Zeta-Jones (born 25 September 1969) is an Academy Award-winning Welsh actress. ... Julia Roberts was born Julie Fiona Roberts on October 28, 1967. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... F. Murray Abraham F. Murray Abraham (born Frederico Abrammo Monteglini on October 24, 1939 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American actor. ... Thomas Tom Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actor, voice-over artist and movie producer who starred in family-friendly and screwball comedies before achieving notable success as a dramatic actor. ... Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955 as Walter Bruce Willis in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany) is an American actor and singer. ... Melanie Griffith at Cannes, 2000 Melanie Griffith (born August 9, 1957 in New York City) is an American film actress. ... Gary Oldman Gary Oldman (born March 21, 1958) is an English actor, born Leonard Gary Oldman in New Cross, London, England. ... Hannibal is a 2001 film, directed by Ridley Scott about Hannibal Lecters time in Italy following his escape from imprisonment. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Colin James Farrell (born May 31, 1976) is an Irish actor known for appearing in a series of high-profile Hollywood films, as well as for his controversial off-screen lifestyle. ... Jamie Foxx (born Eric Marlon Bishop on December 13, 1967 in Terrell, Texas), is an American Oscar-winning actor, Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling R&B singer, pianist, and comedian. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ...

Filmmaker billing

• In 1977, George Lucas resigned from the Directors Guild of America after it insisted, against his wishes, that Irvin Kershner, the director of The Empire Strikes Back, was credited at the beginning of the film. (This was after it had allowed the original Star Wars, which had a similar opening sequence, to go unchallenged.) Since he got his way, he has been generally viewed as being responsible for popularising the "title only" style.

For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... George Walton Lucas, Jr. ... Directors Guild of America (DGA) is the labor union which represents the interests of film and television directors in the United States motion picture industry. ...

See also

• Opening credits
• Ending credits