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The Great Debate: Do Movie Titles Go In Quotation Marks Or Italics? (The Definitive 2025 Style Guide)

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The question of whether movie titles should be italicized or placed in quotation marks is one of the most common and confusing style dilemmas in English writing today, and the definitive answer is: it depends entirely on your audience and the style guide you are following. As of December 2025, the world of publishing is split between two major camps—the academic and literary world, which overwhelmingly prefers *italics*, and the journalism and news media world, which consistently uses "quotation marks." This fundamental split is the root of all the confusion, meaning that what is correct in a college essay is technically incorrect in a newspaper article. To resolve this ambiguity, you must first identify the context of your writing. Are you writing a research paper for a university, a blog post, a magazine article, or a press release? The style guide governing that specific domain will dictate the correct punctuation for the movie title. Understanding the logic behind each rule—the concept of "self-contained whole" versus "part of a larger work"—is the key to mastering not just movie titles, but the punctuation of all creative works.

The Definitive Style Guide Breakdown: Italics vs. Quotation Marks

The punctuation of movie titles is governed by the principle of distinguishing between a complete, self-contained work and a work that is a component part of a larger whole. A feature film is considered a major, standalone work, which typically calls for a certain type of formatting. However, the specific style guide you use determines the final presentation.

1. The "Italics" Camp: Academic and Literary Standards

The vast majority of academic and literary publications use italics for movie titles. This rule applies because a feature film is considered a complete, major, and self-contained work, similar to a book, a full-length play, or a magazine.
  • The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS): CMOS is the standard for book publishing and is one of the most widely respected guides. It explicitly requires that titles of movies, television series, and radio programs be *italicized*.
    • Example: Christopher Nolan's *Oppenheimer* was a massive box office success.
  • Modern Language Association (MLA) Style: Primarily used for humanities and literature papers, MLA requires that the title of a film be *italicized*. This is consistent with its rule for other major works like novels and full-length plays.
    • Example: The themes of identity in *Blade Runner 2049* are deeply complex.
  • American Psychological Association (APA) Style: Used for social sciences, APA also mandates that movie titles be *italicized*.
    • Example: The psychological impact of *Joker* (Phillips, 2019) was a subject of much debate.
In summary, if you are writing a research paper, a thesis, a book, or an essay for a class, the safest and most correct choice is to italicize the movie title.

2. The "Quotation Marks" Camp: Journalism and News Media

The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook is the dominant style guide used by newspapers, magazines, wire services, and most online news publications. AP Style has a different set of rules that prioritize clarity and visual simplicity in a fast-paced news environment.
  • Associated Press (AP) Style: AP Style requires that titles of movies, books, TV shows, and video games be enclosed in "quotation marks".
    • Example: The studio announced a sequel to the hit film "Dune: Part Two."
The AP Style rule is a major outlier and is the primary reason for the persistent confusion. If you are writing for a news website, a journalistic blog, or any publication that adheres to AP guidelines, you must use quotation marks. This is a non-negotiable rule in professional journalism.

Mastering Topical Authority: The Rules for Related Media

To establish true topical authority, it is essential to understand how the punctuation rules apply to other forms of media. The general rule of thumb is: Italicize the title of the complete, self-contained work (the container), and use quotation marks for a work that is a component part (the content).

The "Container" (Italics) vs. "Content" (Quotation Marks) Principle

This principle is the most powerful tool for deciding whether to use italics or quotation marks.

Italicize the Container (Major Works):

  • Books: *A Song of Ice and Fire* (The full series title).
  • Full-Length Plays: *Hamilton*.
  • Albums: *Thriller* (A full music album).
  • Magazines/Newspapers: *The New York Times*.
  • Television Series: *The Last of Us* (The entire show).
  • Long Poems: *The Odyssey*.
  • Video Games: *Elden Ring*.

Use Quotation Marks for the Content (Component Parts):

  • Short Stories: "The Tell-Tale Heart" (Part of a collection).
  • Individual Episodes: "Long, Long Time" (An episode of the series *The Last of Us*).
  • Songs: "Billie Jean" (A song on the album *Thriller*).
  • Articles/Essays: "The Punctuation Problem" (An article in *The Atlantic*).
  • Short Films: "A Trip to the Moon" (Often treated as a component part, though some styles may allow italics for standalone short films).
This consistency is why the punctuation of movie titles is so confusing. A feature film is a "container," but AP Style treats it like "content" for simplicity.

Nuances and Exceptions: When the Rules Get Tricky

Navigating the world of creative works requires attention to detail, as certain formats blur the lines between "major work" and "component part."

Movie Franchises and Series

When referring to an entire franchise or series, the rules of the governing style guide still apply to the individual film titles. For example, if using MLA, you would write about the *Star Wars* saga, and specifically mention the film *The Empire Strikes Back*. If using AP, you would refer to the "Star Wars" saga and the film "The Empire Strikes Back." The franchise name itself (like Star Wars) is often not italicized or quoted unless it is a formal title of a work, such as the book *Star Wars: The High Republic*.

Documentaries and Animated Films

Documentaries and animated films are treated the same as feature films. A documentary like *My Octopus Teacher* would be italicized under CMOS and placed in quotation marks under AP Style.

Web Series and Podcasts

The rise of digital media has introduced new entities that require punctuation. Generally, the overarching series title for a podcast or web series is italicized (e.g., the podcast *The Daily*). The titles of individual episodes within that series are placed in "quotation marks" (e.g., "The Year in Review" on *The Daily*). This follows the standard Container/Content rule.

The Final Verdict: How to Stop Guessing

To definitively answer the question, "Do movie titles go in quotation marks?": 1. For Academic/Literary Writing (MLA, APA, CMOS): NO. Use *italics*. This is the most common rule in formal publishing. 2. For Journalistic/News Writing (AP Style): YES. Use "quotation marks." This is the most common rule in media. Always choose a style guide and stick to it consistently throughout your entire document. Consistency is the ultimate mark of professional writing.
The Great Debate: Do Movie Titles Go In Quotation Marks or Italics? (The Definitive 2025 Style Guide)
do movie titles go in quotation marks
do movie titles go in quotation marks

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