Hancock (film) Hancock" before settling on its final title. Prior to the film's release, marketing consultants attempted to persuade Sony Pictures to again change the title "Hancock" because it was too vague for audiences, suggesting alternatives like "Heroes Never Die", "Unlikely Hero", and "Less Than Hero". Despite the advice, Sony stayed with "Hancock" and anticipated marketing on the popularity of the film's star, Will Smith. "Hancock" had its world premiere as the opener at the 30th Moscow International Film Festival on June 19, 2008. To avoid copyright infringement, organizers took "unprecedented" steps to prevent illegal reproduction of the film. For the film,
John Hancock Revolution: George Washington." As early as 1809, John Adams lamented that Hancock and Samuel Adams were "almost buried in oblivion". In Boston, little effort was made to preserve Hancock's historical legacy. His house on Beacon Hill was torn down in 1863 after both the city of Boston and the Massachusetts legislature decided against maintaining it. According to Young, the conservative "new elite" of Massachusetts "was not comfortable with a rich man who pledged his fortune to the cause of revolution". In 1876, with the centennial of American independence renewing popular interest in the Revolution, plaques honoring Hancock were put up