9 Movies That Studios Were Scared Of Releasing

By the end of its run, Joker might be able to hit $900 million globally, a phenomenal result considering that even half of that would be seen as a huge success.

This movie has performed beyond even the wildest dreams of the studio, which must feel great for everyone involved. But, interestingly, it must also sting a little. Why? Because Warner Bros was so worried that Joker would fail, that they brought in two co-financiers to help them fund the project - in return for a share of the profits.

Earlier this month, The New York Times shared this nugget in a lengthy report, stating that Bron Studios and Village Roadshow were enlisted to reduce Warner Bros' financial "exposure" - i.e. they didn't want to take the gamble by themselves:

"But the company did take measures to mitigate the risk. Warner Bros brought on two co-financiers, Bron Studios and Village Roadshow, reducing the studio’s exposure - and its potential profits."

But why exactly was the studio so concerned? Well, supposedly, senior executives were fearful about the level of violence in the film, worried that it might generate negative word of mouth and even provoke some real-life terror attacks:

"Joker is also causing deep unease. Some people, including a few rank-and-file employees on the Warner Bros lot, worry that the violent, hyper-realistic movie is potentially dangerous - that rather than critiquing the societal failings that have given rise to America’s mass-shooter crisis, the film legitimizes such atrocities and could provoke more of them."

Thankfully, those worries were unfounded: all Joker did was deliver a great movie for viewers to chew on, and each studio involved made a tidy bit of cash for itself.