10 Films Cinemas Refused To Play (And Why)

Before release, there was a whole lot of conversation surrounding the violence in Joker, with some punters being concerned that it might inspire real-life terror attacks. The Los Angeles Police Department even released a statement saying that they would maintain "high visibility" around cinemas on opening weekend, citing the "historical significance" of the character on the big screen.

At face value, this might've seemed like a lot of fuss over nothing (and in the end, it was, since Joker came and went with no violent incidents to speak of), but there was one big reason why everyone was concerned about Joker, and why one Aurora theatre outright refused to play it: The Dark Knight Rises.

During an opening night screening of the Christian Bale-led trilogy-capper in 2012, a shooter opened fire on the audience, killing 12 people and injuring a further 70. The perpetrator had dyed his hair red in a style reminiscent of the Clown Prince of Crime, and the memory of this event - and its close ties to the character of the Joker - was the reason why a lot of folks were so concerned about Joker's release.

And, completely understandably, that same Aurora cinema where the shooting took place refused to play the movie, and even wrote a letter to the studio expressing their concerns over its violent content.