In light of the events that unfolded early Friday morning in Aurora, Colorado, Warner Bros. understandably pulled The Dark Knight Rises TV spots from the airwaves as they regroup their marketing efforts with those effected by the tragedy in mind. But the obstacles don’t end there for the studio.
One of WB’s upcoming releases is Ruben Fleischer’s star-studded crime drama Gangster Squad, which is set to be released on September 7. If you’ve seen the trailer and are anticipating the film like I am, you surely recall a scene in the preview in which a group of mobsters open fire into a packed movie theater from behind the screen. As a result, not only has Warner Bros. pulled the trailer from theaters and online outlets, but Variety reports they have also decided to remove the scene from the movie with plans for reshoots currently underway.
Word is the scene is a climactic one so the decision to cut it is quite major. There is also no word on whether or not the scene will make it to the DVD/Blu-ray release once that rolls around.
Following the events of September 11, 2001, several terrorism-themed films like Collateral Damage and The Bourne Identity were either edited or delayed. At least one film, the planned Jackie Chan actioner Nosebleed, in which Chan would play a WTC window washer who uncovers a terrorist plot, was cancelled entirely. Evidence of similar changes can be seen in the original trailer for Spider-Man, which originally included a climactic shot of the Twin Towers.
But none of these movies featured imagery that so closely and eerily mirrored the real-life tragedy. So while it’s clear Warner Bros. is making the right decision to eliminate the scene from the film, it isn’t known at this time how the reshoots will alter Gangster Squad‘s timetable. No delays have been announced, but it’s hard to believe they can reshoot and recut the film, while also revamping their marketing campaign in just six weeks.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. is said to be making a “substantial” donation to victims of the Aurora shooting. The funds will be donated through Colorado’s Community First Foundation, identified on the givingfirst.org website and distributed through several charities that support the shooting victims.
