Warner Bros. addressed concerns over the ‘Joker’ movie plot and its violent protagonist Arthur Fleck. (Photo Credit: Warner Bros.)
Joker has been a hit among film critics, however, there have been concerns over the movie’s plot and how it portrays its violent protagonist, Arthur Fleck. Warner Bros. recently responded to backlash over Joker and urged that the film is not “an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind.”
Earlier this week, family members of those killed in the 2012 Aurora, Colorado theater shooting wrote a letter to Warner Bros. about Joker’s October 4 release, Esquire reported. In the letter, relatives shared their concerns about Joker’s screenplay and asked Warner Bros. to stop donating to political candidates with pro-gun initiatives.
“When we learned that Warner Bros. was releasing a movie … that presents the character as a protagonist with a sympathetic origin story, it gave us pause. We want to be clear that we support your right to free speech and free expression,” said the letter, which was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “But as anyone who has ever seen a comic book movie can tell you: with great power comes great responsibility… We are calling on you to be a part of the growing chorus of corporate leaders who understand that they have a social responsibility to keep us all safe.”
Warner Bros. responded to the letter on Tuesday and indicated that Joker is not putting Arthur Fleck on a pedestal.
“Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker, nor the film, is an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind,” said Warner Bros.’ statement. “It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers, or the studio to hold this character up as a hero.”
Amid these concerns, the U.S. military has alerted service members about the potential for a mass shooter at Joker screenings, Gizmodo noted. The warning was widely distributed throughout the U.S. after suspicious social media statements were uncovered by personnel at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“Run if you can. If you’re stuck, hide (also known as ‘sheltering in place’), and stay quiet,” the safety notice warned. “If a shooter finds you, fight with whatever you can.”
The FBI didn’t provide further comment on the matter and noted it is cautiously observing posts.
“While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, the FBI is in touch with our law enforcement and private sector partners about the online posts,” said an FBI spokesperson. “As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
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