Joaquin Phoenix has reportedly dropped out of Todd Haynes' yet-untitled next film, which would center around two gay lovers played by Phoenix and costar Danny Ramirez. The reason? "Cold feet," a source told Variety.
The report underscores that Phoenix dropped out of the project just five days before filming was scheduled to begin in Mexico. "Phoenix had developed the screenplay for the detective love story with Haynes and Jon Raymond," the publication noted. "Entire sets had been built in Guadalajara before Phoenix made the last-minute decision to exit the film."
Given Phoenix's name recognition and star power, Haynes' upcoming film hinged on the actor playing the lead role. In other words, this project has been effectively scrapped following Phoenix's departure.
"The crew is now out of work, and stakeholders in the film still need to be paid. Losses could exceed seven figures," Variety reported, adding that Phoenix's role in the film apparently "cannot be recast."
Todd Haynes
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI
In May 2023, Haynes revealed that this upcoming gay movie would receive an NC-17 rating — the highest rating for on-screen theatrical productions within the rating system used by the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
"The next film is a feature that's an original script that I developed with Joaquin Phoenix based on some thoughts and ideas he brought to me," the director told Indie Wire last year. "We basically wrote with him as a story writer. Me and Jon Raymond and Joaquin share the story credit. We hope to be shooting it beginning early next year [2024]. It's a gay love story set in 1930s LA."
Haynes also teased that Phoenix was "pushing [the director] further," which led to the project's NC-17 rating. And yet, here we are.
"Speculation among the crew is that Phoenix's exit had to do with the graphic nature of the film's sex scenes," Variety added. "But that theory is confusing to some sources, who reiterate that it was Phoenix who brought the project — and its NC-17 concept — to Haynes in the first place."
Girl, so confusing. We hope these two can work it out on the remix.
