‘This is real life, not a movie’ – backlash after stairs from Joker are overrun by influencers

A set of stairs in the Bronx has become overrun with tourists and social media ‘influencers’ after it featured in the DC blockbuster film Joker, prompting a backlash from locals.

In one of the most memorable scenes from the film, the protagonist Arthur Fleck (played by Joaquin Phoenix) struts menacingly down a set of stairs in a murky corner of Gotham City.

But the true location of the scene soon got out. Now the set of stairs, located in the Highbridge neighbourhood of the Bronx, have captured the imagination of fans of the film.

The 132 steps, which join Shakespeare and Anderson Avenues, used to be known as Step Street but now have their own Instagram location ‘Joker Stairs’. The hashtag #jokerstairs…