Family members of those killed in the 2012 mass shooting at the screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Colorado's Aurora, have penned a letter to Warner Bros expressing concerns about the plotline in its upcoming "Joker".
James Holmes opened fire on July 20, 2012 during the midnight premiere of the Christopher Nolan film at Aurora Cinemark theatre, killing 12 people and injuring 70. He was wearing body armour and was armed with numerous weapons when police arrested him outside the cinema hall.
Rated R, the Todd Phillips-directed "Joker" is said to be an exploration of a man disregarded by society that is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.
It is meant to be darker and more experimental in tone and content and is dominating the headlines for Joaquin Phoenix's performance.
The family members said they are still in "absolute hell and pain" over the incident and the upcoming film depicting the character, portrayed as antagonist by Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight Rises", in a "sympathetic" light would be a trigger for them.
"(The Aurora shooting), perpetrated by a socially isolated individual who felt 'wronged' by society, has changed the course of our lives.
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"When we learned that Warner Bros was releasing a movie called 'Joker' that presents the character as a protagonist with a sympathetic origin story, it gave us pause," read the letter, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
In the letter, addressed to new Warner Bros CEO Ann Sarnoff, the signatories don't seek to stop the film's release nor to rally gun critics to boycott it.
They urge the studio to "end political contributions to candidates who take money from the NRA and vote against gun reform".
"Use your political clout and leverage in Congress to actively lobby for gun reform. Keeping everyone safe should be a top corporate priority for Warner Brothers...
"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."