The studio has released its press statement in the aftermath of families of victims of an Aurora, Colo., theater shooting issuing the company a letter expressing worry e about the new Todd Phillips film.
“Gun violence in the country is a grave issue, and we extend our deepest condolences to all victims and families affected by these tragedies,” the statement obtained by EW reads.
“Our company has a long history of helping out the victims of violence, including Aurora, and in the recent weeks, our parent company alongside business leaders called upon policymakers to enact bipartisan legislation to address this dangerous matter.
At the same time, Warner Bros. definitely believes that one of the positives of storytelling is to incite difficult conversations around the complex issues. Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker nor the film is an advertisement of real-world violence of any kind. It is not the motive of the film, the makers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero.”
The letter penned to Warner Bros. from the relatives of Aurora victims was also signed by Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, the parents of 24-year-old Jessica Ghawi who was murdered, Theresa Hoover, the mother of 18-year-old Alexander J. Book, who was shot,Tiina Coon, whose son was a witness of the shootings, Heather Dearman, whose cousin Ashley Moser lost a stillborn child and a 6-year-old daughter.
The unfortunate disaster in Aurora happened during a screening of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and caused close to 12 deaths and 70 injuries. Following the incident, Warner Bros., which money rolled the film, contributed close USD 2 million to the victims and the survivors.
‘Joker’ narrates the tale of an aspiring stand-up comedian (Joaquin Phoenix) whose mental health issues elevate, ultimately leading him to find solace in criminal activities.
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