The US Army has reportedly issued a warning to military commanders over the potential threat of violence during screenings of the upcoming film Joker.
The memo, from US Army Base at Fort Sill Oklahoma, was shared by users on a popular Air Force Facebook page and revealed that a bulletin posted by the Texas Joint Crime Information Center - working alongside the FBI - had discovered "disturbing and very specific chatter in the dark web" about the possible targeting for a mass shooting, reports "metro.co.uk".
"Commanders need to be aware of this threat for Soldier and family safety and to increase situational awareness should they choose to attend the release of this movie," the memo read.
However, it was later removed from the Facebook page.
The Todd Phillips film is set to release in a few days. Despite garnering good pre-release reports after being screened at the Venice Film Festival recently, it has been mired in controversy.
The film is being critcised for its portrayal of a sympathetic outcast who turns to gun violence in the face of perceived loneliness.
Many families of the victims who died in 2012 in Aurora, Colorado after a gunman open fired at the local cinema during a showing of the Batman film, Dark Knight Rises, penned an open letter to Warner Bros calling them to take action against gun violence.
"Gun violence in our society is a critical issue, and we extend our deepest sympathy to all victims and families impacted by these tragedies," reads the statement. Our company has a long history of donating to victims of violence, including Aurora, and in recent weeks, our parent company joined other business leaders to call on policymakers to enact bi-partisan legislation to address this epidemic.
"At the same time, Warner Bros. believes that one of the functions of storytelling is to provoke difficult conversations around complex issues. Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker, nor the film, is an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind. It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero."
Joker is scheduled to release in India on October 2.
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