That’s it.
Todd Haynes’ new NC-17 gay detective romance film starring Joaquin Phoenix has fallen through after the actor left the project, according to a new report.
The untitled film was abandoned two weeks after 49-year-old Phoenix parted ways with the production, Deadline reports. During that time, the entire production was in limbo, with producers desperately trying to keep the project alive but reportedly unable to do so.
Phoenix was involved in the development of the project, which could be one reason why it was not possible to move forward without his involvement.
News that the Oscar winner had left Haynes’ film was first reported by Indie Wire on Friday, August 9, after rumors of Phoenix’s exit spread on social media. The outlet said Phoenix officially dropped out of the film while he was in LA.
Filming was set to begin in Guadalajara, Mexico, in five days. According to Variety, entire sets had already been built on location and crew members were put out of work and had to be paid, potentially putting production losses in the seven-figure range.
A source close to the production told the newspaper that the “Joker” star had “cold feet.” Some crew members reportedly speculated that Phoenix’s exit was related to the film’s explicit sex scenes.
However, other sources said that this would not make sense, as Phoenix passed the original core of the idea on to Haynes and wanted to take the film to new levels.
The film began with “fragments of ideas” from Phoenix, Haynes told Variety in 2023. The “Carol” director then developed those ideas into “an actual narrative” before bringing in screenwriter Jon Raymond, who co-wrote Haynes’ miniseries adaptation of “Mildred Pierce” for HBO.
“Basically, it was just this wonderful, organic way of writing the script,” Haynes said of the process. “And Joaquin made it even more sexually dangerous.”
Phoenix was originally supposed to play alongside Danny Ramirez (“Top Gun: Maverick”), who joined the project in July. The 31-year-old actor was at Comic Con to promote Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World.”
According to Deadline, Phoenix left Haynes’ gay romance project before Ramirez went to San Diego to meet with media and fans, leaving Ramirez pondering the fate of the film.
Little is known about Haynes’ latest directorial project other than what he has revealed in interviews. In 2023, he described it as a “love story between two men set in the 1930s with explicit sexual content.”
The film was reportedly going to be rated NC-17 and depict a relationship that would “challenge” audiences.
The financing of the project was secured primarily through Phoenix’s involvement, it was said.
The Post has contacted representatives for Phoenix and Haynes for comment.
