An official trailer has been released for The People’s Joker, the transgender Joker parody film that was banned by Warner Bros.
READ MORE: Joker review: a melancholic psychodrama punctuated by splashes of shocking violence
Directed by American filmmaker Vera Drew, the film was first screened at the Toronto Film Festival back in 2022. Immediately after its premiere, a “media conglomerate” (which Dew did not disclose) filed a cease-and-desist order against the film, causing all screenings to be shut down and leaving the future of the movie uncertain.
The film has now received a US release date set for April 5. A copyright exemption is being argued for under the notion of fair use for being a parody. No official release date has been given for the UK.
The People’s Joker sees Drew playing the role of Harlequin/Vera, a trans woman who attempts to make it as a stand-up comedian.
Other cast members include Scott Aukerman, Tim Heidecker, Maria Bamford, and Bob Odenkirk.
The synopsis on the film’s official website reads: “This revolutionary DIY parody film and hilarious reimagining of the classic autobiographical coming-of-age story follows an unconfident, closeted trans girl as she moves to Gotham City to make it big as a comedian by joining the cast of UCB Live – a government-sanctioned late night sketch show in a world where comedy has been outlawed.
“As mainstream success eludes our heroine, leading her to unite with a ragtag team of rejects, misfits, and a certain love interest named Mister J, ‘Joker the Harlequin’ is born again as a confident (and psychotic) joker on a collision course with the city’s fascist caped crusader.
“Vats of feminising chemicals, sexy cartoon interludes, scarecrow psychiatrists, CGI Lorne Michaels, and psychedelic gender dysphoria all play supporting roles.”
It parodies The Joker, the villain within the Batman series who has been depicted in films such as 2008’s The Dark Knight and 2016’s Suicide Squad.
According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, The People’s Joker has a unanimous positive rating of 100 per cent “Fresh”, with critics possessively receiving the movie.
In other news, Joker: Folie à Deux director Todd Phillips recently shared new images from the forthcoming sequel to 2019’s Joker.