“The People's Joker”, a queer comic book parody, will get a U.S. release after getting pulled from TIFF

"The People's Joker" has been picked up by a distributor and will get a theatrical release in the U.S.

The People's Joker, a queer parody of the DC Comics universe, has locked in a theatrical release date.

The film gained attention earlier this year after being pulled from the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The L.A.-based Altered Innocence has acquired the movie and will release it theatrically on Apr. 5.

The film screened once publicly before director and star Vera Drew pulled it from TIFF's Midnight Madness, citing copyright issues. It subsequently made its U.S. premiere at the Outfest L.A. Film Festival and made appearances at other festivals around the world. The rights to Joker and other Batman characters from DC Comics are owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The company did not respond to EW's request for comment and has not made any public statements about the film.

The People's Joker opens with a title card that appears to be aimed at allaying potential copyright problems. "This film is a parody," it reads, per Variety, "and is at present time completely unauthorized by DC Comics, Warner Brothers, or anyone claiming ownership of the trademarks therein (e.g., 'Joker,' 'Batman,' etc.)."

Drew's film was partially financed through crowdfunding with a 2020 GoFundMe campaign that stated she was working on "a queer coming-of-age film about being a trans woman working in comedy." The final film has a mixture of live-action and animation and features cameos from Bob Odenkirk, Tim Heidecker, Maria Bamford, and Scott Aukerman, among others.

The film describes itself as a "revolutionary D.I.Y. parody film and hilarious reimagining of the classic autobiographical coming-of-age story." It follows Joker the Harlequin, played by Drew, an "unconfident, closeted trans girl" who wants to become a comedian. To do so, she must join the only comedy program in town, one sanctioned by the Gotham City government at a time when all other comedy is outlawed. When that fails, Joker the Harlequin starts her own troupe with other misfits, putting them on a collision course with the city's fascist caped crusader.

"Vera Drew has taken her own life experiences and traumas to craft an entirely new genre of cinema that blurs the lines between documentary, coming-of-age film, and parody," Altered Innocence founder Frank Jaffe said. "We couldn't be more thrilled to champion this bold, intelligent, and hilarious piece of queer cinema that audiences around the globe have fallen in love with."

In her own statement, Drew said, "This movie started as a D.I.Y. community project for queer artists, and I made it with my friends to process what it was like coming out as a trans woman working in the film and TV industry. It has been a long road freeing The People's Joker and finding a release plan that rings true to the queer, anarchist spirit we had while making it. What better home than among Altered Innocence's catalog of gorgeously gay and deliciously edgy films."

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

• David Ayer says James Gunn told him the Suicide Squad director's cut will 'have its time to be shared'

• Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong team teases the epic scale of new comic crossover

• Batgirl directors call movie's cancelation 'the biggest disappointment of our careers'
  

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.