Are Movie Titles Italicized?
In MLA style, movie titles are italicized because films are treated as independent works. Quotation marks are generally reserved for shorter works contained within a larger work, so a movie title itself is not normally placed in quotation marks under this convention.
Yes—under MLA style, italicize a movie title. Do not put the movie title itself in quotation marks when applying that convention.
Key details
Important caveats
Quotation Boundary
Quotation marks are used for certain contained or shorter works, not the movie title itself under this convention.
Style Boundary
If another required style guide differs, follow that guide consistently.
Further guidance
Example
MLA-style invented example: We watched *Harbor at Dawn* after class. The film title is italicized and not enclosed in quotation marks.
Movie Title
Italicize the title of a movie when following MLA style.
Practical Application
In MLA style, italicize the title of the movie itself. Use quotation marks for contained shorter works only when the style calls for them; do not put the film title in both italics and quotation marks.
Reader Check
Check whether you are naming the full film or a smaller component such as an episode, segment, or titled song, then apply the rule for that type of work.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- How do I style the title of a work published online? (opens in a new tab)Modern Language Association · Style guidance distinguishing italicized titles of independent works such as movies and television series from quoted episode titles