It’s pretty safe to say that, back whenThe People’s Jokerwas removed from the Toronto Film Festivalafter a single screening, no one expected the movie would have such an impressive journey. Today, director, writer, and starVera Drewtook to social media to reveal that the controversial title is getting very special Blu-ray, DVD, and — believe it or not — VHS editions with amazing cover art.
In the announcement, Drew celebrated the fact that physical media was about to become “way more twisted” withthe impressive story of the moviefinally making its way to shelves and to collector’s homes. The cover art is a mix of what you’d expect to see from a comic book adaptation and the provocative poster of a disruptive film — exactly whatThe People’s Jokeris. The moviespoofs Batman villainsin order to tell a personal story of an individual coming to terms with their gender identity.
Drew also announced that the Blu-ray edition ofThe People’s Jokerwill come with a hefty set of bonus features. The movie will have not one, but three separateaudio commentary tracks— which suggests there’s a lot to be revealed and discussed when it comes to the making of the movie, its inspirations, and, of course,the unexpected reception it gotat film festivals and its aftermath. The Blu-ray edition will also come with behind-the-scenes featurettes and some more features that are yet to be revealed.
What’s The Deal With ‘The People’s Joker’?
The big issue with the independent film was thatDC and Warner Bros. attempted to block the filmfor using the iconicBatmancharacters. However,as director Vera Drew told Collider, the movie’s legal team made sure that the character was portrayed in an obvious parody fashion — which would protect the story under fair use. It then became a David vs. Goliath battle in which Drew finally got to share her vision with the world.
The VHS release ofThe People’s Jokeris not only a celebration ofnostalgic media, but it also underscores the niche nature of the movie. One of the ideas of the story is to subvert the kinds of themes that areusually covered in big blockbuster movies— and gender identity is usually not covered at all in superhero movies. At the same time, the project was interesting enough to draw the attention of some pretty big names, likeBob Odenkirk(Better Call Saul),Maria Bamford(Netflix’sBig Mouth),Scott Aukerman(Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis’ co-creator) andLynn Downey(Daisy Jones & The Six).
You can check out the official announcement above and pre-order yourThe People’s Jokercopy below!
The People’s Joker
An aspiring clown grappling with her gender identity combats a fascistic caped crusader.
