30 Seconds to Mars Recreating Controversial Video for New Year's Eve Gig

'Hurricane,' the new short film from 30 Seconds to Mars, has been the subject of much controversy. As frontman Jared Leto tells Spinner, the video "explores sexuality" with scenes featuring S&M and violence that led to it being banned by several networks before the band agreed to tone it down.

But Leto believes there's one place that's unlikely to be afraid of a little bondage and sex -- Las Vegas. When the band plays there on New Year's Eve, Leto is hoping to turn the controversial clip into a party. "For New Year's, we're going to do a 'Hurricane'-themed night, which I think is appropriate now that this little film has come out," he says. "It'll be a fun kind of ball, inviting everybody to dress up as their favorite characters from the film and of a slightly S&M, B&D vibe to the night."

But don't expect Leto to get too carried away during the festivities. "I have an easy out because I'm in the short film and I can always dress as myself, but maybe I'll take a chance and dress up as a gimp man or in drag," he says.

For his part, Leto wasn't trying to court controversy with the film. "I didn't really set out to provoke for provocation's sake. I really was just following my creative muse and this is where it led me, to make a film that explores some of the things that usually live in the darker corners of our universe and our psyche," he says. "It wasn't a complete shock that people responded this way to it, but I was surprised that it's become as controversial as it has, maybe because I've become so familiar with the material."

On that note, Let admits that he does question why the subject matter upsets people so much. "It is interesting to note that they are much more concerned with sexuality than they are the violence," he says. "I'm assuming we need to protect young minds from sexual images much more than we need to protect them from what's already out there on the news and television, which are images of violence and negativity and hostility."

As Leto would like to remind the detractors, sex is a part of everyday life. "This is exploring something we're all very familiar with and that's sex," he says. "It's interesting that it's a topic that makes people so uncomfortable and it's such a huge part of all of our lives. Sexuality informs almost every facet of our lives, from art and entertainment to politics to even war. Sexuality has informed and influenced all of us from day one."