#7: Early Posters Hid Willis
Early marketing materials emphasized the skyscraper rather than Bruce Willis, because Fox was nervous that audiences would reject a television comedian as an action hero. Imagine paying someone $5 million and then treating his face like an optional design element. Once viewers embraced McClane, Willis moved front and center in the campaign. The posters now look amusingly timid, especially considering he soon became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and the building continued standing there looking expensive.
