Warner Bros. Says Joker Should Not Be Viewed as a Hero

Warner Bros. has released a statement in response to criticism that the movie Joker has received for the gun violence depicted in the film.

Victims of the Aurora movie theater shooting, which happened during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, have called out the studio for releasing a movie with such violence.

“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,” the studio said in a statement.

The studio added, “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.”

Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, will be released in theaters on October 4. The movie won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month.