WASHINGTON — A supervillain was inside the White House Saturday night. CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz reported that President Trump hosted a showing of “Joker,” which tells the origin story of Batman’s archnemesis.
A senior White House official confirmed to Yahoo News that Trump screened the movie for guests including “family, friends, and some staff.”
“Joker,” which was released in theaters in October, stars Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a disturbed young comedian who descends into a world of crime. The movie has proved controversial. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival after it premiered there in August. However, some critics have raised concerns that the film’s dark mood and depiction of a man driven to brutality could inspire copycat crimes.
The senior White House official said Trump liked the film.
Trump is a longtime movie fan. During his career as a real estate mogul and reality television star, Trump regularly screened movies on his private plane. One of Trump’s favorite movies is reportedly the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme martial arts classic “Bloodsport.” In a 2013 tweet, Trump rattled off a list of some of his favorite movies.
“Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, etc.,” Trump wrote.
Trump also has appeared on the silver screen. He has made cameos, playing himself, in movies including “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” “Two Weeks Notice” and the 1989 Bo Derek romantic comedy “Ghosts Can’t Do It.”
The president also has a personal connection to the “Batman” movies. The 2012 movie about the superhero, “Dark Knight Rises,” includes scenes shot at Trump’s Manhattan headquarters, Trump Tower. In a tweet sent that year, Trump suggested that filming at his properties could contribute to a movie’s success.
“Amazing — both Transformers & Dark Knight Rises featured Trump properties and each grossed over $1B. Just coincidence,” Trump wrote.
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