“The filmmaker has withdrawn this film due to rights issues. We apologize for any inconvenience. Current ticket holders will receive an email from TIFF customer relations with information on their purchase,” TIFF said ahead of another screening at Scotiabank Theatre tonight now not going ahead.

Festival organizers withdrew the queer coming-of-age tale from its additional play at TIFF. The filmmakers behind the film, including the production banner Haunted Gay Ride Productions, offered no direct comment when reached out.

Gay Directors. By Emanuel Levy (Columbia University Press).

Warner. Discovery, which owns Batman and other DC Entertainment characters, could not be reached for comment on whether the studio has asserted its rights to copyright protection over the use of the Joker character and Batman universe.

The People’s Joker features Drew starring as an aspiring clown grappling with gender identity as she aspires to join UCB Live, a popular TV sketch comedy set in the Batman universe.

The posting of the withdrawal notice on the festival’s website followed the first screening in Toronto as part of the midnight madness program at the Royal Alexander Theatre. The film’s premiere early Wednesday morning was quickly followed by the withdrawal announcement posted on the festival’s website.

Drew said on Tuesday via zoom that the filmmakers know they’re in an “illegal gray zone.” “I Vera Drew don’t own Joker and Batman, but it’s a parody,” the trans comic said as the film aims at copyright protection as a parody.

The queer coming-of-age movie besides Drew stars Lynn Downey, Kane Distler, Nathan Faustyn, David Liebe Hart, Christian Calloway, Griffin Kramer, Phil Braun, Tim Heidecker, Ember Knight and Sarah Sherman.

The People’s Joker is Drew’s feature debut after credits that include On Cinema (17), Who Is America? (18) and Our Bodies (19), in addition to music videos.