Full Breakdown
Lionsgate Updates *La La Land* Poster After Actor’s Decade-Long Complaint
7/22/2026, 12:30:37 AM
Revised Poster Debuts for 10th Anniversary
To mark the film’s 10th anniversary, Lionsgate released a new theatrical-release poster that corrects the hand pose of Ryan Gosling’s character. The revised image shows Gosling’s hand flat and extended, matching the actor’s original intention for the scene. The updated artwork accompanies the movie’s re-release in Dolby Cinema at AMC locations beginning in August.
Gosling’s Longstanding Critique of the Original Design
Gosling has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the original poster, which depicted his hand angled upward. In a 2024 interview with *The Wall Street Journal Magazine*, he described the pose as “the La La Hand” that “killed the energy” of the dance sequence. He said he had suggested a flatter hand despite studio resistance, and the resulting image has haunted him ever since.
Film’s Commercial and Critical Success
*La La Land* remains one of the most celebrated modern musical films. The movie earned six Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Cinematography, and set a record with seven Golden Globe wins. It generated approximately $447 million worldwide on a production budget of $30 million. Gosling’s performance as Sebastian earned him a Golden Globe, while co-star Emma Stone captured the Oscar for Best Actress. A Broadway musical adaptation is also in development, though a premiere date has not been announced.
Verbatim Quote
- “Now when I look at it, and I have to see it all the time, you know what would’ve been cooler… [the intended pose],” — Ryan Gosling
The quote captures Gosling’s lingering frustration and underscores why the studio chose to alter the poster a decade after the film’s initial release.
