Subtitle Zero Dark Thirty -

The title of the 2012 film serves as both a literal reference to a specific military time and a metaphor for the secrecy surrounding the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Military Definition and Origins

: Military operations often begin during this window to utilize the cover of darkness and the element of surprise. Significance to the Film subtitle Zero Dark Thirty

The title replaced the initial working title, Kill Bin Laden . It was chosen for its thematic depth: The title of the 2012 film serves as

: The term is a play on the 24-hour military clock. "Zero" refers to the hours before 10 a.m. (starting with 0), "Dark" denotes the nighttime or pre-dawn hours, and "Thirty" indicates 30 minutes past the hour. It was chosen for its thematic depth: :

: While often used broadly for any "ungodly hour," filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow noted that for the film, it specifically refers to 12:30 a.m. . This was the time Navy SEALs launched the actual raid on the Abbottabad compound.