Trivia / The Madness of King George

• Pop-Culture Urban Legends: Rumor has it that the movie was titled The Madness of George III in its native UK, but distributors in foreign markets changed its title to The Madness of King George out of a belief that some international audiences might think the movie was the third installment in a film series called The Madness of George. In reality, the movie has the same title in all countries, including Britain. This misconception may stem from the fact that the movie is based on a play by that title; the reason for the title change from stage to screen was partially this, but also a desire to work the word "king" into the title in recognition of cultural differences between Europe and the Americas: most New World countries have never had monarchies, so "King George" would more clearly establish that the movie was about the iconic British monarch.
• Role Reprise: Nigel Hawthorne reprised the title role from the play.
• Star-Making Role: This film brought Nigel Hawthorne global attention and acclaim.
• What Could Have Been: Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Anthony Hopkins were considered for George III.

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