movie Joaquin Phoenix drops out of gay movie days before production began

[Gui Blackout]

 

Todd Haynes' untitled detective movie about two men in love and fleeing to Mexico is now on hold after star and co-writer Joaquin Phoenix pulled out of the project days before production began.

 

Phoenix developed the screenplay for the intense gay romance with Haynes and Jon Raymond, a frequent collaborator of Haynes' friend Kelly Reichardt ("Wendy and Lucy"). Raymond co-wrote the teleplay for Haynes' HBO miniseries "Mildred Pierce."

 

Sources tell IndieWire that Phoenix, who was set to star in the explicit gay love story, dropped out of the Killer Films production five days before filming was set to start in Guadalajara, near the Southwestern coast of Mexico in the state of Jalisco. Phoenix was already on location at the time.

 

Sources said financing hinged on Phoenix's casting in a likely NC-17-rated period piece set in the 1930s. "Joaquin was pushing me further and going 'No, let's go further.' This will be an NC-17 film," Haynes told IndieWire last year at Cannes.

 

During his press tour for Haynes' 2023 Netflix film "May December, the director told IndieWire that Phoenix was the film's driving force. "The whole experience was prompted by Joaquin," he said. "It was prompted by his daring, his desire to push through barriers and to really get into the uncomfortable places about this relationship. And yet it felt like a very organic process."

 

An actor pulling out of a movie five days before shooting leaves a lot of people on the hook. According to an inside source with knowledge of the film's finances, multiple stakeholders on the Haynes project — from financiers to crew — still need to be compensated. "Top Gun: Maverick" star Danny Ramirez joined the cast in July as Phoenix's love interest, right before shooting was set to begin.

 

Phoenix is not expected to return to the project, according to IndieWire's sources, and Killer Films is not yet looking to replace him. For now, the focus is on cutting checks for the people who invested their time in the project.

 

IndieWire also hears that Haynes will now focus on directing the limited series "Trust," an adaptation of Hernan Diaz's novel about upper-class financial ruin in the 20th century, with his "Mildred Pierce" star Kate Winslet and also at HBO. Haynes will write the series with Jon Raymond.

Edited August 9 by Gui Blackout

[RideOrDie]

he said that's enough faggotry after being around gar for so long 

[drip drop]

so the rumors are true then?

[Stunnah]

He must have read the 'Unpopular opinions gay men aren't ready to hear' thread. 

[tost1]

seeing liddos following gaga made him homophobic 

[Uncatena]

not him taking away a gay NC-17 film from us UGH

 

I hope everyone can get paid fairly at least before the whole thing is canned

[Uncatena]

3 minutes ago, drip drop said:

so the rumors are true then?

which rumours?

[BOOMBAYAH]

He was the one driving the project, co-writing it, and was already on location. Something tells me an emergency must have come up, and he wasn't just being difficult. Still a shitty situation. 

[alexrex]

Homophobic move if you ask me 

[WildAmerican]

5 minutes ago, RideOrDie said:

he said that's enough faggotry after being around gar for so long 

this was my first thought too dddd

[Reginald]

I would've watched for Danny Ramirez, alone PLEASE let this movie continue with a replacement for Joaquin 

[DAP]

I guess someone forgot to douche

 

[mike_int]

Personally I don't like him.

 

Him quit 5 days before start is just unprofessional and selfish.

 

 

[uusagii]

Smart king 

[AshleyLovescats887]

i literally know nothing about this but it's kind of a homophobic move ngl 

i guess the charli stans on the set got to him

[fridayteenage]

I guess Joker two award chances go down after the lead's diva antics

[Uncatena]

Variety is reporting that he got "cold feet" about the planned graphic sex scenes?? even though he was the one seemingly championing it. 

 

sets were built and losses could exceed seven numbers

 

I wonder what happened here

[jakeisphat]

He knew he couldn't make it through the scenes without popping a boner I fear 

[FolkLover1989]

Insane. Should have said earlier if this problem.

 

 

[Fancyhoodlum]

if pretending to be Gay is so traumatic, imagine BEING GAY

 

SUPPORT GAYS

[Trash]

So just re-cast his character instead of throwing away the whole production and firing the crew?

[Josh]

He knew what the film was about. Idiot

[Totami Legend]

i hope they cast someone hotter, someone who looks like a dilf and not a grandpa yk 

[Khal]

This doesn't make sense as he was the one apparently pushing the director to go further?  

Edited August 9 by Khal

[Mephisto]

His role cannot be recast? Sure, like there's not a ton of gay actors who would love to get the part.