The People's Joker: When Does Parody Become Copyright Infringement?
The People's Joker is a parody of a variety of DC Comics characters and franchises that reframes the well-known source material as a queer coming-of-age story. The film has drawn plenty of attention for its singular creative vision, but some have been judgmental as studios threaten to shut the film down.
Parody is something of a lost art form on the big screen, but it's alive and well online. Making fun of the handful of billion-dollar studios and all the well-known IP they profit off of is always a dangerous game. Using the characters and iconography that they hoard as tools of that mockery can be even more challenging.
The People's Joker Pulled From TIFF Over 'Rights Issues' After World Premiere
Vera Drew is the creative mind behind The People's Joker and anyone with a passing familiarity with her work in the industry would not be shocked by that. She contributed to the classic internet outlets Everything is Terrible and Highland Park TV before being brought into more prestigious outlets. A ton of her career has been in the orbit of beloved absurdists Tim and Eric, including the delightfully bizarre «Tim and Eric Quiz». She was nominated for an Emmy for her editing work on Sacha Baron Cohen's 2018 series Who is America?.. Drew's work is distinct, visceral, and absurd, while still being sincere enough to grip the heartstrings. Drew crowdfunded her first feature film after being inspired by Todd Phillips' Joker. She went on to direct, co-write, edit and star in the project.
The People's Joker premiered at TIFF, only to have scheduled re-screenings canceled over rights concerns. The film follows Vera Drew as Vera, a transgender woman who reinvents herself as Joker the Harlequin and sets out on a standup comedy career. It's an
Read more on gamerant.com
