IL Theaters Ban Masks During 'Joker' Movie Over Potential Threat

ILLINOIS — This is no joke. Landmark Theaters, a Los Angeles-based chain with theaters across the country, including Illinois, will ban moviegoers from wearing masks, painted faces or costumes to screenings of the upcoming “Joker” film starring Joaquin Phoenix. AMC Theatres are also once again reminding movie-goers that their locations do not allow masks or face paint, is is the Marcus Theatres chain.

The move comes in response to growing concerns about the violence depicted in the film and after worries expressed by the families of those killed in a 2012 mass shooting at a Colorado theater screening of an earlier Batman film. Federal authorities have also warned of online "chatter" about potential threats to theaters showing "Joker."

AMC Theatres, the biggest movie-theater chain in the United States with multiple Illinois locations, previously banned masks in theaters after the Colorado mass shooting, but the company issued a reminder last week that audience members are not allowed to wear anything that obscures their faces.

“Guests are welcome to come dressed in costume, but we do not permit masks, face paint or any object that conceals the face,” AMC said in a widely reported statement. “AMC does not permit weapons or items that would make other guests feel uncomfortable or detract from the movie going experience.”

Marcus Theatres, which also has Illinois locations, said Thursday it is "not clowning around about costumes," noting that costumes, including masks as well as face paint or make-up that covers a person's face, are prohibited for "Joker" screenings.

“Joker” is set for release Friday.

Illinois has 42 of the popular AMC Theatres:

• Carbondale
• Centralia
• Champaign
• Chicago
• Chicago Ridge
• Cicero
• Crestwood
• Danville
• Decatur
• Dekalb
• East Alton
• Edwardsville
• Galesburg
• Hodgkins
• Lake In The Hills
• Lombard
• Machesney Park
• Marion
• Mattoon
• Morris
• Mount Vernon
• Mt Prospect
• Naperville
• New Lenox
• Niles
• Normal
• Norridge
• Northbrook
• Oak Brook
• Peoria
• Peru
• Quincy
• Rockford
• Rosemont
• Schaumburg
• Skokie
• South Barrington
• Springfield
• Sterling
• Vernon Hills
• Washington
• Woodridge

Landmark Theatres has two Illinois locations:

• Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark St., Chicago
• Renaissance Place Cinema, 1850 Second St., Highland Park

Marcus has nine theaters in Illinois:

• ADDISON CINEMA
• BLOOMINGTON CINEMA + IMAX
• CHICAGO HEIGHTS CINEMA
• COUNTRY CLUB HILLS CINEMA
• ELGIN CINEMA
• GURNEE MILLS CINEMA
• O'FALLON CINEMA
• ORLAND PARK CINEMA
• ST. CLAIR CINEMA, Fairview Heights

The film stars Phoenix as a failed clown who unravels into darkness and fights back against society. The movie has been criticized for glorifying mass violence, and Phoenix recently walked out of an interview after being asked whether the film could inspire real violence.

In the weeks before the film’s opening date, the FBI told local law-enforcement agencies across the country to watch for troubling online posts, according to the Washington Post.

U.S. military officials also warned about possible violence at screenings after they were contacted by FBI agents who reportedly found social media posts from extremists about possible violence at theaters.

Some theaters in other states, including Wisconsin, are also planning extra security at "Joker" screenings in response to those concerns.

According to some media reports, Army officials learned of potential threats after receiving an intelligence bulletin regarding non-specific threats. The notice, was precautionary, officials noted, and a Sept. 23 memo from military police in Oklahoma warned of "disturbing and very specific chatter in the dark web regarding the targeting of an unknown movie theater during the Joker release."

Scott Anderson, Patch Staff, contributed to this article