Names on posters?

Can someone explain something to me:?

On a lot of movieposters you see the actors who are in the movie. But how come the names of the actors that are written at the top of the poster often is in a different order than the images of the actors below?
Am I making any sence at all?

One possibility: Actors' names are usually listed either in order of importance or alphabetically. But that might not match the order of the actors in a poster's screen shot.

Another possibility: PR people screw up.

John

Actually, John, you're right--people are listed 'above the title' according to contractual obligations--meaning, actors and their agents/managers negotiate whose name goes where. Therefore, actors are listed in a pre-determined order, either in order of 'importance' (i.e. who is the baddest mf in town) or in alpha.

However, I agree--it looks ugly when the names across the top of a poster don't match the faces that are below them.

Yes, but don't they now this when they shot the pictures for the posters?

They do know, Per. However, take a look at the Gangs of New York poster. The names are listed in the following order: DiCaprio, Day-Lewis, and Diaz. DiCaprio is considered the biggest box office draw of the film's three stars, and it makes sense that the two Oscar nominees/winners are listed before Diaz. However, the actors' pictures are in the following order: DiCaprio, Diaz, and Day-Lewis. It simply looks more balanced to have the men on Diaz's sides rather than to have two men on the left and one woman on the right.

Of course, I agree with you that it looks absurd when there are only two stars' names and two stars' pictures and the names and pictures are on opposite sides of the poster. The criscrossing is really silly.