Todd Philips and Joaquin Phoenix have already shared their thoughts on the perception that
Joker could result in real-world violence, and now Warner Bros has been forced to issue a response of their own.
Although the standalone DC movie hasn't even been released yet, a lot of critics have voiced their concern and believe that it might be irresponsible to promote the film given the current climate. This controversy has clearly reached the families of the 2012 Aurora theater shooting, who have penned a letter asking the studio to donate to groups that aid victims of gun violence and "end political contributions to candidates who take money from the NRA and vote against gun reform."
The letter doesn't call for
Joker to be pulled, but we're hearing that it won't screen at the Century Aurora and XD theater where the shootings took place.
You'll find more details from the letter
here, and Warner Bros.' response below.
“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. “
This is clearly a sensitive issue, but it's important to note that the killer (we won't name him) did not actually refer to himself as "the Joker" while being arrested despite initial reports to the contrary. However, that misconception along with the fact that he had dyed red - not green - hair and committed his heinous crime during a screening of a Batman movie is forever etched in public consciousness.
Of course, it's easy to see where these families are coming from at the same time.