The comedy picture The People’s Joker was only shown once at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival before it was removed from further consideration. Similar to Warner Bros.’s upcoming Joker, the film directed by Vera Drew (Who Is America) offered a new backstory for the notorious Batman foe. But the protagonist in this world is asexual. The movie’s summary made it apparent that DC Comics and Warner Bros. had not licenced any part of it, and if the studios weren’t aware of the film before the premiere, they definitely are now. While the formal reason(s) for the film’s cancellation has not yet been disclosed, it may be assumed that they include the movie’s use of a prominent character whose name and likeness are trademarked.
It has been posted on the TIFF website that “the filmmaker has withdrawn this film owing to rights concerns” in reference to The People’s Joker. We regret any trouble this may have caused. TIFF Customer Relations will send out an email to all current ticket holders with transaction details. The director retweeted a person who claimed Warner Bros. had filed a cease and desist order to prevent the release of the “illegal” Joker movie. Drew and Perri Nemiroff talked on Monday of this week, and the topic of copyright came up in their conversation.
To quote the director: “I have no doubt that this movie will find an audience. Under both fair usage and copyright legislation, it is entirely safe from exploitation. the equivalent of a mock statute. The sole unusual aspect of each of these cases is that no one has ever before put their own spin on established characters or intellectual property. That’s what makes it appear much more perilous than it actually is, in my opinion. I mean, look, I labelled the film an “illegal comic book movie” on the poster to attract an audience, and I understand that. Regarding any legal ramifications, I see absolutely no need for anyone to be alarmed. Without going into detail, suffice it to say that we’ve done a lot to make this possible. I doubt I would have spent two years of my life on a true unauthorised Joker film.”
Drew also used Twitter earlier today to apologise to all of her admirers who were hoping to see her work at TIFF but were disappointed to learn that they wouldn’t get the chance to do so. Director painted a wide picture of the issue, perhaps at the advice of counsel. In the tweet, it says: I don’t know how today will go, and my team would prefer that I say nothing, so I’ll be intentionally vague… but I want you to know that regardless of what occurs in the next hours… You’ll soon be able to view our film if you’ve been eagerly anticipating it. Do what I say and don’t leave me hanging. I’m going to need some assistance here.
In The People’s Joker, Drew plays the title role of a clown who has trouble making audiences laugh. Because of this, they start abusing a substance called “Smylex” for breathing problems. This Joker has doubts about their abilities, their identity, and their connections to others, so they decide to create an underground comedy club in Gotham City… and it appears that at this point in time, most of us will never know how this tale concludes. The People’s Joker will likely not make a return to the Toronto Festival due to the purported court injunction.
The film’s director may have been assured of the film’s legality, but Warner Bros. We must wait to watch how this conflict develops for the time being. If this goes to court, it will be a classic case of the underdog fighting the establishment: Warner Bros. could claim that the publicity for their new multi-million dollar blockbuster Joker: Folié à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker once again and pop superstar Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, will suffer because of The People’s Joker. The best-case scenario for those who are now interested in seeing The People’s Joker is a compromise between the two sides, but it seems unlikely that the film will ever see theatres.