Zootopia or Zootropolis? Four times things had different names in the UK

All around the world, understandably, there are different names for things.

It makes sense that in French or Spanish-speaking countries, the names for films, television programmes or games might change to their native tongue. But what about when titles switch up between two English-speaking countries?

BBC Bitesize explores four times that things had different names for British audiences.

Zootopia – Zootropolis

2016’s animal buddy cop movie Zootopia was a smash-hit all around the world – but chances are that in the UK and Europe, you’ve never heard of it and you won't necessarily be eagerly awaiting the sequel Zootopia 2.

That’s because the adventures of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are known as Zootropolis on this side of the Atlantic.

At the time of the original film, Disney said that the title had changed so that UK audiences could have a unique name for the movie, but a Danish zoo may also have played a part.

Large mascot style characters from the Zootopia/Zootropolis films pose alongside two of the film's voice actors. From left to right, it's Nick Wilde, in a bright pink shirt, Ke Huy Quan in a denim jacket, Clawhauser in blue uniform, Ginnifer Goodwin in a green and blue tartan dress and Judy Hopps in a blue jacket and top — Image caption,
Actors Ke Huy Quan and Ginnifer Goodwin (second from left and second from right...) pose with Nick Wilde, Clawhauser, and Judy Hopps - the stars of both the Zootopia AND Zootropolis series of films

Givskud Zoo in Denmark trademarked the term Zootopia as part of their celebrations for their 50th anniversary. While Disney say they renamed it to Zootropolis to create something bespoke, those copyright laws may also have played a part.

Spare a thought for the Disney team in Germany though. The new name of Zootropolis couldn’t be used there because of a children’s book of that name released in 2010. Step forward Zoomania!

The Avengers – Avengers Assemble

When it comes to confusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a lot of it is deliberate.

Viewers are misled over characters’ deaths, what universe or timelines stories are taking place in and much more – all in the name of storytelling.

But ahead of the 2012 release of the first Avengers movie in the MCU, producers were worried that UK and Ireland audiences would confuse Iron Man and Captain America with something else.

Actors Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Robert Downey Jr, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Cobie Smulders, Chris Hemsworth and Clark Gregg attend the European Premiere of Marvel Studios Avengers Assemble — Image caption,
The stars of The Avengers - or is it Avengers Assemble - at the UK premiere

While the film was known as The Avengers in the United States and the rest of the world, Disney felt that the 1960s British television spy series of the same name would cause confusion with British cinemagoers.

The film was renamed Avengers Assemble – or was it? The retitling caused even more bewilderment as the film was known by the new name, as well as variants Marvel Avengers Assemble and Marvel’s Avengers Assemble. Whatever it was actually called – the film was a huge global success and no further name changes were needed as the franchise continued.

Top Cat – Boss Cat

The US animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions created some of the most iconic children’s television shows of the 20th Century. Titles such as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear and more came out of the studio.

But one 1960s series needed to change its name in the UK because of the unique way the BBC is funded.

As the BBC is funded by the licence fee – the organisation is committed to public service broadcasting, and does not feature adverts or product placement.

This caused an issue when the BBC started showing Top Cat – an animated series about a group of alley cats – in 1962. After just four episodes, the series was hurriedly renamed Boss Cat, because there was a brand of cat food available in the UK at the time, also called Top Cat.

Not everything was changed though. The show’s theme tune still referred to Top Cat and the eponymous lead character was known as TC by the gang.

Only 30 episodes of the show were ever made, but the show was regularly repeated in the schedules. Once the cat food brand went out of production in 1999, the original Top Cat titles were reintroduced.

Sega Genesis – Sega Mega Drive

The Sega Mega Drive was the first major 16-bit console released and a device which ultimately gave Sega a lead in the 1990s console wars over its rival Nintendo.

But nobody in the United States would have played on one.

A Sega Mega Drive console, all in black, on a white backdrop, with a controller perched against its front left side — Image caption,
Sega's 16-bit console was known as the Mega Drive around the world - but North Americans knew it as the Genesis

Following its launch as the Mega Drive in Japan in 1988, the system was released in North America the following year. But there was a problem.

The trademark for Mega Drive in the US was owned by a storage device company. Sega decided that because of the copyright issue and because they felt Mega Drive sounded more like a PC term than a console, that they’d change the name for the US market.

The team eventually landed on Sega Genesis as the name for the machine – but not before considering another. Briefly, the console was going to be launched as the Sega Tomahawk before the Genesis idea was put forward.

However, for the European launch, Sega decided to go back to their original plan. Their vision of Sonic the Hedgehog had always been on the Mega Drive, and despite their rebranding to Genesis for the English-speaking North American market, they saw no reason to deviate in the UK, where the copyright issues didn’t exist.

This article was published in November 2025