The upcoming "Joker" film will not be screening at the Aurora, Colorado theater where a 2012 mass shooting happened during a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." The Joker has gone from just a comic book character since he first appeared in DC Comics. Director Todd Phillips' take on the "Joker" is a very different take than what comes from established DC Comic book canon, delivering a version of the character that was not inspired by any previous version.

The new "Joker," played by Joaquin Phoenix, is a would-be comedian named Arthur Fleck, whose attempt at bringing joy to the world is killed by society's cruelty, leading him to take on the persona of a criminal mastermind hiding behind clown makeup.

This new cinematic take on the "Joker" is rated R, giving fans one of the darkest iterations of the character yet created. Moviegoers are excited about what '"Joker" has in terms of exploring the darkness of the comic supervillains. While comic book fans are drooling over the film and dying to see it in theaters, the film has already received some critical pushback, with some believing that the film could inspire another mass shooting like the one that took the lives of 12 people in an Aurora, Colorado theater in 2012.

Aurora shooting families of victims aired their concerns to Warner Bros.

Amid worries of a repeat of the 2012 shooting, the Aurora theater has announced that they will not be screening "Joker." According to The Hollywood Reporter broke the news via a theater employee.

The theater made their decision as family members of 2012 victims sent a letter to Warner Bros. sharing their concerns about the film and are asking them to donate proceeds to groups that aid gun violence victims.

The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Sandy Phillips, mother of the victim, who shared her concerns that the film could lead to a repeat of a shooting that claimed her child's life.

The letter points out the similarities between Aurora shooter James Holmes and the character of Arthur Fleck. Fleck is seen as a mentally ill man who feels bullied by society and unleashes violence across Gotham as a result.

'Joker' reignites the debate over whether movies and other media causes acts of mass violence

Warner Bros.

has said they have not received the letter and will not comment until then. Not all family members of the 2012 shooting victims signed the letter. Colorado State Rep. Tom Sullivan, the father of a victim, said he doesn't believe there is a link between watching Movies like "Joker" and people undertaking violence.

The debate over whether movies and video games cause mass shootings is a heated one, and the upcoming film is in the middle of that heated debate. It's understandable why the Aurora Century theater decided against screening "Joker."