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Sometimes all it takes is for a director of a film to step in and shield us from all the bad news that comes out these days.  News reports were flying around the net on Friday after someone at The Playlist noticed an image on Nu Image’s website for Spencer Susser’s Hesher that indicated the Sundance film may have gone through a title change.  The new title?  Rebel.  Not exactly the catchiest of titles, but, given the low amount of buzz the film got out of Sundance and the fact that it was picked up somewhat off the radar by Newmarket, we weren’t all that shocked.  The film hadn’t garnered too many positive reviews, and it, like its central character, became sort of the outcast to like at this year’s showing in Park City.  Neil was one of those cool kids, though, and gave the film some kind words.

But back to the matter at hand.  Chase over at Gordon and the Whale received an email from the Susser himself shooting down this notion of the film going through a title change.

Here’s what he had to say:

Hi everybody,

Spencer Susser here.

I was horrified to read a posting about the title change for my film “HESHER” to “Rebel”. Actually I spit my breakfast all over my keyboard!

Now that my laptop is working again.. I assure you this is not happening. The film is being released as HESHER, not any other title it’s being sold with overseas.

So, there it is.  Straight from the horse’s mouth.  That last sentence, thought, tells us the film is being titled Rebel in the international market, and this mock-up is more than likely what The Playlist saw on Nu Image’s website.

For now, though, the film stays Hesher in the states.  Now, the big question is, when are we ever going to actually see it released?  With a cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson, and Natalie Portman, it seems a surefire bet to get a theatrical release, but, with the economic state of the industry as it is, there’s no telling where it will land.

Susser did go on to say in his email that he had just put on a few, more finishing touches to the film, so the film shown at Sundance and the film that will, eventually, get its release will be slightly different from one another.  We’ll have to hold judgement on those changes for when we actually see them.