There is a line between sensibly responding to a tragedy and overreacting out of fear. You can make up your own mind as to where this decision falls. Warner Brothers has reportedly decided to remove all traces and references to firearms in its marketing campaign for The Dark Knight Rises. A new gun-free trailer is supposedly being produced and all weapons in TV spots will be removed within the next few days.
According to TMZ, the course was charted by executives at Warner within a few hours of this morning’s tragic mass murder at an Aurora, Colorado midnight screening. Reports are currently putting the number of dead at twelve with the injured count far higher.
It’s important to note nothing about the final cut of the film has been changed, nor should it be changed. It’s acceptable, perhaps even natural we’d all be reminded of these grisly events because they happened during a Dark Knight Rises screening, but had the release date been pushed back another few months, the deranged shooter almost certainly would have chosen a different, high profile public gathering.
Warner Brothers is yet to comment publically on its supposed decision to alter the promotional materials, but if they do, we’ll be sure to bring it your way. Cinema Blend’s thoughts go out to the victims’ families as they attempt to cope with the unspeakable. There are no answers, only millions of honest, hard-working Americans ready and willing to help in anyway they can.
