Todd Haynes has finally opened up about Joaquin Phoenix’s exit from his untitled gay romance.
Back in May 2023, the Enlightened director announced that he was collaborating with the HER star on an NC-17 gay romance drama.
“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 me,” Haynes revealed during a sit down with Indie Wire.
“We basically wrote with him as a story writer. Me and Jon Raymond and Joaquin share the story credit. And we hope to be shooting it beginning early next year. It’s a gay love story set in 1930s L.A..”
A year later, movie enthusiasts were treated to an exciting cast update when Top Gun: Maverick star Danny Ramirez joined the project as Phoenix’s love interest.
In a report from Deadline, their characters were described as “intense lovers” who embark on a journey from California to Mexico.
While it seemed like everything was in line for Haynes’ film to move forward, the esteemed director was hit with an unexpected roadblock in August – Phoenix’s abrupt departure five days before filming.
According to Variety, a source alleged that the Walk the Line star got “cold feet” due to the film’s graphic sex scenes.
Since that fateful day, Haynes’ has remained mum about the whole ordeal… until now.
During his recent appearance at the Marrakech Film Festival on 6 December, the Far From Heaven director said: “What happened this summer was tough.”
While he refrained from sharing additional details about Phoenix’s exit, he did give a hopeful update about the untitled gay drama’s future.
“But the film itself and the script itself may resurrect in a different form someday,” he added, per Variety.
Haynes’ statement comes a few months after Ramirez echoed similar sentiments during a separate interview with Variety.
“It’s definitely a very complicated situation. But I think based on – I mean – just the chance to throw down with those creatives in the room – like the audition process was extensive,” he explained.
“But what I walked away with that was just a full artistic validation of throwing down opposite of [Phoenix] in this chemistry read, and it was very intense and dramatic scenes, that there was a moment where I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve arrived as a performer.’ It felt like we were battling. So, I’m still excited, obviously working with Todd.”
When asked about the possibility of the film moving forward in the future, Ramirez said he was hopeful.
“I’ve been shifting gears to different projects, and so the most recent updates are hopefully, but who knows, it’s just a complicated process,” he said.
Here’s to hoping Haynes can resurrect his gay drama in the near future.
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