new york –
Thousands of protesters gathered on the steps of the courthouse and cried for freedom for the beleaguered heroes. Police continued to watch as passions flared and voices roared. Squad cars and TV trucks surrounded the commotion.
As prosecutors considered indictments against former U.S. President Donald Trump, the scene was set by New York City officials calling supporters to rally on his behalf. It was a film shoot for the Joker sequel.
The roar died down and the crowd dispersed as the director shouted “Cut!”
Filming in New York City for the upcoming “Joker” sequel has been planned for months. But in recent days, the production crew has grappled with the possibility of filming being disrupted by real protests against the Trump case, and so far none of that has happened.
Production assistant Leo Maniscalki, who was taking a break at a nearby coffee shop, said film officials eventually stepped forward.
“They had to do what it took to get this done,” he said.
In this film, the Joker, played by Joaquin Phoenix, provokes an outcry against Gotham’s elite.
In real life, Trump has also caused protests. In recent weeks, the former president has called on his supporters to protest what he said was an impending indictment for paying $130,000 to buy porn star Stormy Daniels silence.
“They can’t stop production for anything,” said Maniscalki. “It didn’t have to rain for this scene, but we’re still here.”
Over the past week, crowds (mainly news media) have been filming at another courthouse across the street. Earlier in the week, a band of young Republicans staged protests, but the numbers were dwarfed by the crush of journalists. Nor did the march to the Manhattan Courthouse, dozens of blocks away.
The last time we saw Joker, he was running around the halls of a mental hospital with Frank Sinatra singing “That’s Life.”
The sequel, called Joker: Folly a Do, will see Lady Gaga join the cast as his love object, Harley Quinn. , is billed as a musical.
Siris Pagan, 30, arrived in Lower Manhattan with her friend Marissa Perez to watch the shoot.
“As some shots were being taken, we started hearing loud chants in the background and everyone was turning around,” Pagan said.
Just one block away, both sides of the abortion issue were vying for attention.
He thought it might have been part of a movie, but soon found out.
Reality and fiction suddenly collided, he said.
Jamie Robinson, a 24-year-old extra from Newark, New Jersey, recounted hearing one of the bystanders speak. The camera, the fake police car, and the sign reading “Release the Joker” should have been the perfect giveaway, she said.
Laurie Allard, who was visiting from Montreal, came across an outdoor movie set while touring downtown Manhattan and had no idea at first that it was related to filming.
She knew vaguely about the Trump case – and knew it was happening nearby.
“I didn’t want to get caught up in the protests or anything, if anything happened,” Allard said.
