‘Joker’ Debate: How Will Controversies Impact One of the Fall’s Biggest Movies?

“Joker” has been building buzz ever since it won the Golden Lion in Venice; but despite much of the enthusiasm surrounding its release, the movie has faced its fair share of controversies, and that part of its life continues to accelerate a week before its release. Even as fears that the movie could incite violence percolate, the movie is on track to make big bucks at the box office. But how much could the paranoia surrounding its release impact the movie in the weeks ahead — and will such reservations slow its Oscar potential?

That’s one of the questions at the center of this week’s Screen Talk. Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson also discussion the DOC NYC Short List, featuring 15 films vying for the Best Documentary Oscar, and other fall movie buzz in advance of this year’s New York Film Festival.

Listen to the full episode below.

Screen Talk is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. You can subscribe here or via RSS. Share your feedback with Thompson and Kohn on Twitter or sound off in the comments. Browse previous installments here, review the show on iTunes and be sure to let us know if you’d like to hear the hosts address specific issues in upcoming editions of Screen Talk. Check out the rest of IndieWire’s podcasts on iTunes right here.

This episode of Screen Talk was produced by Leonardo Adrian Garcia and is sponsored by National Geographic Documentary Films.