Joaquin Phoenix is officially out as the lead of Todd Haynes‘s much-anticipated untitled gay romance flick. Rumors had been swirling around the film for some time, but sources confirmed that the actor had stepped away from the project two weeks ago, leaving a major hole in the production that producers are now scrambling to fill. In addition to starring, Phoenix had been involved in developing the story of the feature with Haynes and Jon Raymond. Production was reportedly very close to beginning and the star was already on-site at Guadalajara, near the Southwestern coast of Mexico.
Phoenix was set to star opposite Top Gun: Maverick‘s Danny Ramirez in the production as one of two intense lovers who flee California together for Mexico in the 1930s. The Joker star had been a key driver for the film financially and creatively, even pushing Haynes and the crew to go further and more intense with its intimate scenes, to the point that it was likely to garner an NC-17 rating. Much of the credit, in the director’s eyes, fell to Phoenix for wanting to take things to “uncomfortable” yet organic places, making it all the more devastating when he left the project ahead of San Diego Comic-Con. There are no plans to recast given his importance to the project, meaning that the film is likely dead.
Killer Films, the production banner of Haynes‘s regular collaborator Christine Vachon alongside Pam Koffler, was set to work on the project while MK2 Films was attached as the sales representative. With Phoenix unlikely to return to the project and Killer not currently seeking a replacement, the focus now is on ensuring everyone who invested in the project gets paid for their time. There’s no indication of what ultimately caused Phoenix to walk off of the project so abruptly with so many crew members on the hook. It would’ve marked his first gay on-screen role.
What’s Next for Phoenix and Haynes?
With their collaborative project all but buried, Haynes and Phoenix have other ventures to turn to. The director is said to now be focusing on the long-awaited Trust, a limited series adaptation of Hernan Diaz‘s novel which will reunite him with Mildred Pierce star Kate Winslet and will also be co-written with Raymond. HBO is set to play host to the series. Phoenix, meanwhile, is gearing up for Joker: Folie à Deux which is set to make its debut at the upcoming Venice International Film Festival and will hit theaters in October. The sequel to Todd Philips‘s 2019 smash hit, it’s expected to be a massive blockbuster with Lady Gaga joining the fray as Harley Quinn. Additionally, Phoenix also reunited with Beau Is Afraid filmmaker Ari Aster to film the Western comedy Eddington which wrapped filming in May.
Stay tuned here at Collider for more on how Haynes and Phoenix move forward after their project together. Phoenix‘s Joker: Folie à Deux premieres this October.
via Collider