Wicked Fun Trans DC Parody ‘The People’s Joker’ Official Trailer Drop
by Alex Billington
March 5, 2024
Source: YouTube
“Now you must journey inside yourself…” It’s here! Finally! Altered Innocence has revealed the official trailer for a controversial, revolutionary, one-of-a-kind film called The People’s Joker. This premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival a few years ago and after earning tons of buzz at the fest, Warner Bros and DC tried to shut it down and stop anyone from watching it (due to copyright claims). But they beat the system! Now it’s finally getting a proper theatrical release this April. An aspiring clown grappling with her gender identity combats a fascistic caped crusader. The People’s Joker is a trans twist on DC’s characters, starring Vera Drew as a new clown of mayhem called Joker the Harlequin. Vats of feminizing chemicals, sexy cartoon interludes, scarecrow psychiatrists, CGI Lorne Michaels, and psychedelic gender dysphoria all play supporting roles. Made by Vera Drew and using her own life experiences as a basis for the film, The People’s Joker is a deeply personal journey that’s as much documentary as it is parody. Also starring Lynn Downey, Nathan Faustyn, and Kane Distler as Mister J; cameos from Tim Heidecker, Bob Odenkirk, Maria Bamford, Scott Aukerman. Looks like it might be brilliant! Lots of super bonkers footage! Have fun.
Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Vera Drew’s film The People’s Joker, direct from YouTube:
This revolutionary DIY parody film and hilarious reimagining of the classic autobiographical coming-of-age story follows an unconfident, closeted trans girl as she moves to Gotham City to make it big as a comedian by joining the cast of UCB Live – a government-sanctioned late night sketch show in a world where comedy has been outlawed. As mainstream success eludes our heroine, leading her to unite with a ragtag team of rejects, misfits, and a certain love interest named Mister J, “Joker the Harlequin” is born again as a confident (and psychotic) joker on a collision course with the city’s fascist caped crusader. The People’s Joker is directed by editor / filmmaker Vera Drew, making her feature directorial debut after making TV series (“On Cinema”, “Scum”, “Our Bodies”) and shorts previously, plus work as an editor in the industry. The screenplay is written by Vera Drew and Bri LeRose. Produced by Joey Lyons. This initially premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival a few years ago. Altered Innocence will release The People’s Joker film in select US theaters starting on April 5th, 2024 coming soon. For info, visit their official site.