Joaquin Phoenix has dropped out of
Todd Haynes‘
untitled gay romance film, just five days before filming was set to begin in Mexico,
Variety has confirmed.
Phoenix had developed the screenplay for the detective love story with Haynes and Jon Raymond. A source close to the production tells
Variety the actor got “cold feet.” Entire sets had been built in Guadalajara before Phoenix made the last-minute decision to exit the film.
Representatives for Haynes and Phoenix did not immediately respond to
Variety‘s request for comment.
Hinged on Phoenix’s casting, the movie, produced by Killer Films and backed by sales agent MK2 Film, had already sold to international distributors ahead of production. Sources tell
Variety the project is in peril, indicating that Phoenix’s role cannot be recast. The crew is now out of work, and stakeholders in the film still need to be paid. Losses could exceed seven figures.