Two Men Arrested At Joker Movie For Smoking And Causing Disturbance

Over the weekend, Joker managed to pull in a record opening box-office gross for the month of October, but that does not mean the film went out without a hitch. In the weeks leading up to the film’s release, news reports confirmed various cities would beef up security at theaters screening the film, and it turns out authorities in Chicago made arrests at one local showing of the film.

As reported by the Chicago Tribune, two men were arrested at the AMC River East in Chicago on Sunday night. The suspects were taken into custody after someone called police to report an incident at a late-night screening of Joker. Witnesses said the men were smoking and causing a “loud disturbance” during the film.

In fact, Fox News 32 was told by witnesses that the men became causing a ruckus an hour and a half into the film. The pair were said to have been disruptive for most of the movie, but their antics escalated after they allegedly began “blowing smoke in people’s faces.”

The responding officers arrested the two men without incident and charges are pending on the case. Chicago was just one of several major cities who promised to beef up security at theaters showing Joker given the film’s intense violence and portrayal of mental health. Critiques were put against the film because of its triggering content, and the Joker quickly brought up the memories of the July 2012 mass shooting which took place during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises where 12 people were murdered.

This latest Joker incident marks one of several to take place during weekend showings of the film. According to other reports, panic ensued at a screening of the film in Long Beach when a man entered the theaters and “surveyed” the crowd. The audience voluntarily evacuated after the incident, and police have since arrested a suspect in the case. Other incidents took place in New York after a man began laughing hysterically at Joker’s various murders.

Joker is now in theaters. Upcoming DC Movies include Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2020.

What do you make of these incidents? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!