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from the some-people-just-can't-take-a-joker dept.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-monitor-violent-online-threats-light-joker-premiere/story?id=66031356
The FBI has received tips of threatening posts on social media calling for "unspecific mass shootings" linked to the release of the new psychological thriller, "Joker," starring Oscar-nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix that will hit theaters this Friday, according to a joint intelligence bulletin obtained by ABC News.
These threats have been circling online platforms since at least May 2019, but give no information indicating specific or credible threats to particular locations or venues, the bulletin said.
Some of the threats did contain references to a primarily online group called the involuntary celibate community, or Incels, and a subset that refers to itself as "Clowncels." However, the intelligence community doesn't necessarily regard the group as a whole as a violent one.
"While many Incels do not engage in violence, some within the community encourage or commit violent acts as retribution for perceived societal wrongdoing against them," the bulletin said. "Some Incel attackers have claimed inspiration from previous mass shooters."
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Friday October 04 2019, @11:18PM (1 child)
The movie company must have tipped some cash the FBI's way, because this is great advertisement for their film. Remember when Obama urged everyone to watch that turkey The Interview?
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday October 05 2019, @01:55AM
I don't think a major movie studio, especially Warner Brothers, has the guts to pull off such a move.
What likely happened is that as the rhetoric surrounding the film heated up (which required no prompting whatsoever from Warner Bros.), people started posting edgy stuff on the chans. That made it to the FBI, and the FBI shared that information with the Army, DHS, etc. The security bulletins leaked and inspired a cycle of even more media coverage, hype, new security warnings, announcements of cops and bag checks at theaters, etc.
Just look at what happened to The Hunt [wikipedia.org]. That is "distributed" by another staid movie studio, Universal Pictures. They shelved it indefinitely after the Dayton and El Paso shootings, as well as a tweet from the President criticizing the plot. The shootings happened on Aug. 3 and 4, and release was scheduled for Sep. 27, so that reason is pretty lame to me. But it is a $15 million budget film that got free advertising from Donald Trump and ensuing headlines, probably quadrupling box office potential. And now you can't see it cuz... reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if dialogue and scenes get cut or watered down, assuming it is ever released in some form anywhere in the world. I'm finding this trend of shelving movies to be very annoying. Doesn't matter if the movie is shit, it's a gutless decision that will lead to less creative freedom.
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