The set-up has been given, but the question remains: WillThe People’s Jokerbecome a punchline? Earlier today, Toronto International Film Festival attendees were shocked to discover that the unlicensed movie that features one of DC Comics’ most famous villains was pulled from the lineup “due to rights issues”. The movie has had a single screening and, so far, that’s it. Much like 2019’s blockbusterJoker, the tiny-budget movie tells the origin story of the purple-suited clown, but from a transgender perspective. In this version, the Joker can’t catch a break with comedy acts because people don’t laugh, and this starts a cycle of crises of conscience and identity.
The People’s Jokercertainly has a lot to unpack. A famous villain portrayed as an LGBTQIA+ individual, the Gotham City illegal comedy theater that is an important part of the plot, and DC villains that populate the story… But the one question that permeates the mind of whoever does get to watch it is how didtheBob Odenkirk, from the huge mainstream seriesBetter Call SaulandBreaking Badend up in this small, independent feature? Earlier this week, Collider’s ownPerri Nemiroffsat down to talk with directorVera Drewandasked exactly this question. Drew confessed that having him on board was “surreal,” and explained how this happened:
“… Bob the Goon [Odenkirk’s character] was always in the script, and it was always a question of who could play this part, because it also wasn’t really a well-developed role. […] It was like, ‘What famous Bobs do I kind of know?’ And one was Odenkirk, because I worked with him on ‘Birthday Boys.’ But I was very nervous to ask him […] I actually called [Tim] Heidecker, and was like, ‘Can you cash in one of your [favors]? I’m sure you have a limited amount of favors with him left.’ And he hooked it up, and I had a call with Bob, and it was literally a half-hour phone call where we talked about the part, and it was really cool. He listened to me ramble about all my highfalutin ideas about this illegal movie, and his only request was, ‘I’ll do it. I want to do it. I think it’s great. I think you’re great, but just make me look kind of fucked up. Give me a big scar, something. Cause I don’t want people to think like, ‘Oh it’s cool, Bob’s in it, blah, blah blah.'"
RELATED:‘The People’s Joker’ Pulled From Toronto Film Festival After One Screening
Odenkirk is not the only one to be featured inThe People’s Jokeralmost by chance. Back when Drew was gearing up to get the movie made, the director made a recruiting video that promised to use footage from past DC Movies and deepfakes, but also cast people to play their favoriteBatmancharacters if they wanted to. In the video, the filmmaker makes it clear that the intention is to make something that doesn’t qualify as copyright infringement, but, as the cease-and-desist order that was issued today suggests, Warner Bros. certainly doesn’t see it that way.
While Drew goes head-to-head with giant companies Warner Bros. and DC Comics to decide if the movie can be legally distributed in theaters across the country and eventually on streaming platforms, we have to wait on a final decision to check out this story, which, as Drew puts it in the recruitment video, is a metaphor for transition and mental health.
You can watch Vera Drew’s recruitment video forThe People’s Jokerand the surreal trailer below:
