CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- You might see some heightened security at the movie theatres this weekend if you’re heading out to see the new Joker movie.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are amping up their patrol due to concerns of safety.

“I do want the community to know we have increased the patrols around movie theaters, and on top of that, we are also actively monitoring any potential threats.at this time. I do want the community to know that there have not been any threats directly associated with the Charlotte area,” officer Blake Page said.

The origin story about the classic Batman villain has inspired pieces both in defense of and against the movie. It's been hailed as the thing that's going to finally get Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar and also decried for being "dangerous," ''irresponsible" and even "incel-friendly."

The film itself is a slow-burn character study of how a mentally-ill, middle-aged man named Arthur Fleck becomes the Joker. When the audience drops in on his life, he's working as a clown-for-hire, living with his mother in a run-down Gotham apartment and checking in occasionally with a social worker. He has a card that he gives to people to explain that his spontaneous and painful bursts of laughter are because of a medical condition. His only joy seems to be watching the talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) in the evenings.

The Motion Picture Association of America has rated it R for strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images. CMPD urges anyone who hears or sees something concerning to call 911.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.