Family members of those killed in the mass shooting at a screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, signed a letter to Warner Bros. voicing concerns over Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker.
Director Todd Phillips’ Joker became an early awards season contender after receiving widespread acclaim during its screenings at the Venice and Toronto film festivals. However, more than a few moviegoers have expressed concerns over real-world implications of Joker, particularly due to similarities between Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck and many of the mass shooters in recent years.
Now, some survivors and family members of those who were murdered in the 2012 Aurora Cinemark theater shooting have signed a letter expressing concerns over Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker and asking Warner Bros. to make donations to groups that aid victims of gun violence. A copy of the letter to Warner Bros. was shared with The Hollywood Reporter and a portion of it reads as follows:
“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.”
The letter points out the similarities between Joaquin Phoenix’s version of the Joker and the man who murdered 12 people and injured 70 in the Aurora shooting, who is described in the message to Warner Bros. as “a socially isolated individual who felt ‘wronged’ by society”:
“As a result, we have committed ourselves to ensuring that no other family ever has to go through the absolute hell we have experienced and the pain we continue to live with. Trust us, it does not go away.”
The letter, which was addressed to newly-appointed Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff, is not seeking to prevent the release of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker or boycott the film. Instead, it urges Warner Bros. to “end political contributions to candidates who take money from the NRA and vote against gun reform” and use its influence to lobby Congress for gun reform.
The letter to Warner Bros. was signed by five family members of victims. A Warner Bros. spokesperson reportedly stated the studio had not read the letter, adding “We cannot comment on a letter we have not seen.”
Here is the official synopsis for Joker:
Director Todd Phillips “Joker” centers around the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone fictional story not seen before on the big screen. Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck, who is indelibly portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, is of a man struggling to find his way in Gotham’s fracturedsociety. A clown-for-hire by day, he aspires to be a stand-up comic at night…but finds the joke always seems to be on him. Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty, Arthur makes one bad decision that brings about a chain reaction of escalating events in this gritty character study.
Directed by Todd Phillips from a script he co-wrote with Scott Silver, Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Bill Camp, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Douglas Hodge, Marc Maron, Josh Pais, and Shea Whigham.
Joker will be released in theaters on October 4, 2019.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
