Will Joker Incite Violence?

While fans were eagerly anticipating the release of Joker and studios were getting ready to cash in on what will hopefully be a blockbuster, law enforcement officials are standing at the ready for fear that the film will incite copycat violence.

In fact, even the U.S. Army is at the ready. Fearing actions like mass shooting from incel extremists, the Army released a memo to its service members stating that incels tend to “idolize the Joker character, the violent clown from the Batman series, admiring his depiction as a man who must pretend to be happy, but eventually fights back against bullies.”

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Joker star Joaquin Phoenix talked about the character and his violent tendencies: “You can either say here’s somebody who, like everybody, needed to be heard and understood and to have a voice. Or you can say this is somebody that disproportionately needs a large quantity of people to be fixated on him. His satisfaction comes as he stands in amongst the madness.”

“We’re making a movie about a fictional character in a fictional world, ultimately, and your hope is that people take it for what it is,” said director Todd Phillips in regards to the Army’s fears. The joker was released in early October to strong box office numbers, but no initial reports of copycat violence.

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