The Unauthorized Movie About a Transgender Clown Named Joker

The trailer for The People’s Joker ends with what is certainly a provocative sell: “An illegal comic book movie about a transgender clown named Joker.”

Everything about the film and its many references to the DC Comics universe is unlicensed and unauthorized, which adds a danger and edge to the two-minute teaser that makes things seem all the more renegade and fun. (And piques curiosity about what will happen once it’s released…)

Premiering Saturday at the Toronto International Film Festival, the movie stars and is directed by multi-hyphenate satirist Vera Drew. The People’s Joker translates her experience on her own personal trans journey into that of a Joker-esque clown and aspiring comedian in a fascistic version of Gotham City. For years, Drew’s Joker woefully unfunny clown had been numbing herself with an inhalant called Smythelex. The film follows the character’s attempts to open up an unsanctioned comedy club, since Gotham had outlawed all comedy that doesn’t toe the government line.

It’s a parade—and, seemingly, a parody—of very recognizable characters; flashes in the trailer reveal people who look an awful lot like Scarecrow, Joker, Harley Quinn, and Bane. Based on the trailer alone, the film attempts to be an allegory for gender identity, mental illness, and speaking truth to power—and also appears to be absolutely bonkers.

As befitting “an illegal comic book movie about a transgender clown named Joker,” the teaser previews an eclectic aesthetic, including animated sequences and hand-crafted doll characters acting out scenes. According to TIFF, over 100 artists from three continents collaborated on the film during the pandemic.

“The People’s Joker is not the comic-book movie we deserve,” press notes for the film say. “It’s the one we desperately need.” It should be really interesting to see what kind of reaction this one gets when it premieres this weekend in Toronto; it’s sure to be polarizing.

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