Warner Bros. to Remove Theater Shooting Scene from 'Gangster Squad'

In light of the Aurora, Colo., shootings, Warner Bros. not only pulled trailers for its upcoming Gangster Squad, but the studio will pull a scene that features gangsters shooting up a theater. The film is scheduled to be released on Sept. 7, 2012, but reshoots could push the film's release date back. Variety has the details:

And the studio moved swiftly Friday to pull from exhibs and online outlets the trailer for "Gangster Squad," a period drama that featured a scene in which agents spray machine-gun fire into a crowded movie theater from behind the screen. Given the eerie association created by the Aurora shootings, Warner Bros. has since decided to remove the scene from the film, which opens Sept. 7, and is putting reshoot plans into motion, a source with knowledge of the situation told Variety. Warner Bros. would not comment.

Personally, I can see both sides of this one. Yes, a community just experienced a horrible tragedy where a gunman opened fire in a theater. Does that mean that a work of fiction can't feature a similar scene, especially when that scene was written and shot months ago? This reminds me of how after Sept. 11, 2001, people started talking about removed images of the World Trade Center from movies and TV shows. Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York premiered in December 2002 and featured a New York City skyline with the Twin Towers.

But, I can understand why Warner Bros. is doing what its doing. September is only a few months away, and the wounds of this tragedy will still be fresh. If it doesn't change the plot of Gangster Squad or hurt the integrity of the film's vision, maybe making this change isn't a bad thing.

I do have to wonder if Warner Bros. will wind up delaying the release of Gangster Squad due to the reshoots. Will it still come out in 2012? With a cast like the one it has, I wouldn't be surprised if Gangster Squad is in the Oscar conversation.