Mortdecai, a movie very few people saw and almost nobody liked, featured a corresponding Twitter account that tweeted jokes in the voice of Charlie Mortdecai that was pretty much as bad as it sounds. (Though I do hope it turns out that this was actually Johnny Depp because it seems like something the 2015 version of Johnny Depp might do.) Mortdecai was released in the United States on January 23 and immediately tanked (I attended a very sad last showing at my local New York City theater). Yet, most likely due to international openings, the Mortdecai Twitter account kept making jokes until February 6. There will probably be some more jokes when Mortdecai comes out on Blu-ray. But, what happens after that?
It’s not unusual for a movie to have its own Twitter account — most do — though it’s a little unusual how, let’s say, aggressive the Mortdecai account turned out to be. But, just like pretty much all Twitter accounts specifically created to promote a movie, the shelf life is short. Out of a twisted curiosity, every so often I like to go back and look what these abandoned accounts are doing today. So, I went through every major release from 2012 and 2013 — long enough ago that even the Blu-ray campaign would be over — to find out what they are doing or how they ended. Here are those results.
The Lorax is concerned about your energy bill…
Save energy & money with GE energy efficient lighting. Calculate your savings @GELighting’s page! http://t.co/jujav4G2
— The Lorax (@TheLorax) August 23, 2012
The infamous InAPPropriate Comedy (literally the worst movie I have ever seen in a theater) responded to a user that a Blu-ray release isn’t really in the plans…
@KennyTiT no plans just yet for Blu Ray
— InAPPropriate Comedy (@InAPPComedy) July 30, 2013
The Tom Cruise movie Oblivion went out on what looks like it may have been a butt tweet…
Day#
— #OBLIVION (@OblivionMovie) June 24, 2014
Man of Steel suffered the humiliation of a name change to make room for Batman. (Actually, this makes the most sense instead of just abandoning the accounts.)…
We've moved to @BatmanvSuperman. Please follow us there for the latest news on #BatmanvSuperman: Dawn of Justice.
— Man of Steel (@ManofSteelMovie) May 21, 2014
World War Z‘s final tweet is a happy birthday wish to Brad Pitt…
Happy Birthday to the person we'd all want to have around if #WWZ ever occurred, Brad Pitt! pic.twitter.com/ETMmI5vSP4
— World War Z Movie (@WorldWarZMovie) December 18, 2013
The Lone Ranger‘s Twitter reign ended with at least some positive news…
Congratulations! #TheLoneRanger has been nominated for 2 Academy Awards: Best Visual effects and Makeup and hairstyling!
— The Lone Ranger (@LoneRanger) January 16, 2014
The Twitter account for Grown Ups 2 sent out Thanksgiving wish just this past year. The best part is that someone responded to this tweet by writing, “Live every day.” It’s nice that someone found this inspirational…
Fill your bellies tonight but save some room for a happy helping of good times with family, watching #GU2! pic.twitter.com/vBscO5tZJ6
— Grown Ups 2 (@GrownUpsMovie) November 27, 2014
Elysium ended up tweeting about Sony electronics at CES…
https://twitter.com/elysium/status/420618191665381377
This is nice: one of Captain Phillips‘s last tweets was congratulating Jared Leto on his Oscar win, Jared Leto did not respond to the Captain Phillips Twitter account…
Congrats to @JaredLeto on his win for #BestSupportingActor! #TheOscars2014
— Captain Phillips (@CaptainPhillips) March 3, 2014
The movie Last Vegas ended its Twitter life by retweeting an endorsement from Kellie Pickler…
https://twitter.com/kelliepickler/status/431996390567186432
A Twitter user tried to get The Devil Inside to tweet at her friend because it would be scary. The Devil Inside agreed to do this, in possibly the least scary way possible. Then again, this person did leave Twitter, so maybe it scared Myriem off Twitter…
@lovemesomebee thanks for the tip. @PopGoesMe_ Hi Myriem…
— The Devil Inside (@DevilInsideFilm) October 26, 2011
There are some demons you can’t escape, especially bad box office…
You can outrun your demons…except for this one. http://t.co/R87g8kDV #savestation pic.twitter.com/REi4KK6K
— Ghost Rider (@gh_15436378489) December 21, 2012
Sadly, no one responded to this tweet…
Who picked up a copy of the action-packed Wrath Of The Titans over the weekend?
— WrathOfTheTitansUK (@wrathuk) October 22, 2012
American Reunion retweeted this Jason Biggs classic just last week…
https://twitter.com/JasonBiggs/status/576805554934439936
Lockout thinks that if you like Lockout, you may also like The Fifth Element because these are obviously very similar movies…
From one awesome futuristic action movie to another – check out Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich in The Fifth Element! http://t.co/CGDtGy72
— Lockout (@LockoutMovie) July 26, 2012
The Dictator, which had a very similar Twitter personality to Mortdecai, posted a picture of Kevin Frazier posing with the Blu-ray. This is the last we ever heard from The Dictator…
…Do not blame the goat – Kevin Frazier is a very handsome man. http://t.co/k469HJiw pic.twitter.com/TdlDzOlw
— General Aladeen (@RepublicWadiya) August 24, 2012
Men in Black has been relegated to hawking Battle: Los Angeles downloads…
https://twitter.com/MenInBlack/status/398936798585700353
Were you actually playing God of War: Ascension, or was it all a memory implant?
Have u played the single player demo of God of War: Ascension on ur Blu-ray copy of #TotalRecall yet? Pre-order now http://t.co/lVgSCt166y
— Total Recall (@TotalRecall) February 27, 2013
Looper is still active enough to be tweeting emoticons at people as recently as two months ago…
@1stcasanovafly :-)
— Looper (@LooperMovie) January 11, 2015
Here Comes the Boom would like you to buy The Karate Kid remake…
https://twitter.com/BoomMovie/status/301717155542618112
Silver Linings Playbook‘s Twitter put its support behind The Giver. (It wasn’t enough.)…
See @TheJeffBridges, @taylorswift13, & more in the best family film of the year! http://t.co/C4sIAP6Yag pic.twitter.com/ZKv7AzEJrH
— Silver Linings (@Silver_Linings) August 23, 2014
The Red Dawn remake found at least one example of praise to retweet, and then poor Morgan Williams was taunted for this opinion with some colorful language. Though, I do wonder if this is the only movie he’s ever seen…
https://twitter.com/molewilovespie/status/274211438812344322
Parental Guidance also took the “retweet praise” route, though it’s funny that this is one of the better examples that they could find…
https://twitter.com/CaitlynLasater/status/339945070222532608
The “one last final plea” category…
Don't miss #GANGSTERSQUAD Tonight at midnight.
— Gangster Squad (@GSMovie) January 11, 2013
The “please prove you’re still interested in this movie” category…
You can do a great zombie impersonation? Prove it. Submit YOUR best impressions to Vine using #WarmBodies & #WBBeDead.
— Warm Bodies (@WarmBodies) June 14, 2013
The “here are some quotes from the movie” category…
"Woola would find you anywhere on Barsoom." -Sola #JohnCarter pic.twitter.com/oYUmIEWZ
— John Carter (@JohnCarter) July 2, 2012
"Some things cannot be stopped." RT if you believe in fate. #BeautifulCreatures
— Beautiful Creatures (@RavenwoodManor) July 24, 2013
10 inspiring quotes from Oz The Great and Powerful: http://t.co/1Gp2FzRO84
— DisneyOzMovie (@DisneyOzMovie) June 28, 2013
And, finally, the Spring Breakers Twitter account tweeted just this last Christmas, sending out this picture to its 92,000 followers…
Merry Christmas y'all. – Alien pic.twitter.com/w1u15PTU1o
— SPRING BREAKERS (@springbreakers) December 25, 2014
Mike Ryan has written for The Huffington Post, Wired, Vanity Fair and New York. He is senior entertainment writer at Uproxx. You can contact him directly on Twitter.