It’s said that one piece of news is intended to force the public to forget about another. Last month, we were up in arms over Spider-Man leaving the MCU. Now, as Joaquin Pheonix’s Joker is closer to release date, its controversy is seemingly making us forget about Spidey. Make no mistake, though, we won’t ever forget about Spidey. However, the controversy over Joker is getting serious. And despite the US Army issuing their warnings, the LAPD has stated that they haven’t received any “credible threats.”
A spokesperson for the LAPD told The Wrap that they have not received any “credible threats” of their own over the premiere of Joker. Furthermore, they stated security will not be amped at said event.
These reports follow an email retrieved by the US Army, in which warns moviegoers to “take cover.”
People may point out that a violent film like a John Wick movie hasn’t received the same attention. But the fact of the matter is, this attention stems from the tragedy that happened in an Aurora, Colorado theater playing The Dark Knight Rises. The Joker may not have been the villain of the film, yet that didn’t stop the shooter from committing the heinous crimes.
The families of the Aurora victims recently sent a letter to Joker director, Todd Phillips. The letter was in concern that what inspired their tragedy would inspire others. And their request was that some of the proceeds would be donated. Warner Bros, the studio that produced Joker, responded with,
“Gun violence in our society is a critical issue, and we extend our deepest sympathy to all victims and families impacted by these tragedies. Our company has a long history of donating to victims of violence, including Aurora, and in recent weeks, our parent company joined other business leaders to call on policymakers to enact bi-partisan legislation to address this epidemic. At the same time, Warner Bros. believes that one of the functions of storytelling is to provoke difficult conversations around complex issues. Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker, nor the film, is an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind. It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero.”
Some may pass this off as folks being too sensitive. But this is very concerning. One may believe that it’s taken out of proportion for someone to be inspired by a movie or video game. But there are still some sick people out there.
Joker will arrive in theaters on October 3rd. For more on, hopefully, lighter, DC news, stay tuned to Screen Geek.