Shooting Threats: The Latest Controversy of the Legendary Joker

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Gotham City’s crowned prince of crime and Batman’s most renowned nemesis is getting his very own origin movie in Joker. The DC Comics film is said to be “a gritty character study of Arthur Fleck, a man disregarded by society.” What’s even more interesting about the movie is that, unlike many other modern comic book movies, it’s not at all  influenced by the original comics; it’s a brand new story, and nobody knows what to expect. While there’s a lot of buzz surrounding the movie, it’s not just the originality and fan-hype that’s making the headlines.

A little over a week ago, it was reported that the U.S. Army received word about “a credible potential mass shooting to occur at an unknown movie theater” on opening weekend. It also says that officials have found some disturbing chatter on the dark web about this. Police departments are already on watch, stating that officers will have “high visibility” during the premiere of the movie. Many theaters, including Landmark theaters, have increased security for the film. They commented, saying that “We want all our guests to enjoy the 'Joker' for the cinematic achievement that it is. But no masks, painted faces or costumes will be permitted into our theaters.”

Many have a more personal connection to the issue at hand. In 2012 when the last installment of the Dark Knight Trilogy–The Dark Knight Rises–was in theaters, a shooting occurred at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, which resulted in 12 dead and 70 injured. A letter addressed to the CEO of Warner Bros. from the family members of the victims requested that the studio "use [their] massive platform and influence to join [them] in [the] fight to build safer communities with fewer guns." Soon afterwards, Warner Bros. commented on the issue, acknowledging that gun violence is “a critical issue” and that “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.”

The much anticipated and controversial film is set to release on October 4th.

By Max Meyers