After Joaquin Phoenix Exited Film At The Last Minute, A Producer Opened Up About The What She Thinks Is The Most ‘Criminal’ Aspect Of His Decision

After Joaquin Phoenix Exited Film At The Last Minute, A Producer Opened Up About The What She Thinks Is The Most ‘Criminal’ Aspect Of His Decision

As a gamer with a deep appreciation for cinema, I find myself deeply saddened by the unfortunate turn of events surrounding Todd Haynes’ upcoming film. Having followed his career closely and admiring his unique storytelling abilities, it is disheartening to see a project that promised to be another masterpiece fall apart at the last minute.


As a die-hard fan, I’m thrilled about Joaquin Phoenix‘s upcoming movie “Joker: Folie À Deux,” but lately, there’s another intriguing subject circulating around him. It’s not his film this time, but the one he decided against being a part of that has everyone talking. Just weeks before filming on a new gay romantic drama with Todd Haynes was set to begin, Phoenix unexpectedly stepped away from the project. Now, one of the film’s producers is shedding light on an incident she terms as “criminal.

As a fervent admirer, I can’t help but echo the sentiments shared by producer Christine Vachon. In her own words, the sudden withdrawal of Joaquin Phoenix before the project left her in a state of despair – a nightmarish scenario indeed. Speaking at the San Sebastian Film Festival, she expressed her regrets, not about the details of the situation that have already been disclosed, but about the fact we won’t get to witness another masterpiece from the gifted hands of Oscar-nominated writer and director Todd Haynes.

Essentially, the facts are clear and visible for everyone’s scrutiny. If I had any juicy details to share, I would certainly do so, but unfortunately, there aren’t any. It was an unfortunate event. The saddest aspect of it, as I see it, is that Todd Hughes is 62 years old. His remaining years are limited, and hence the number of films he can create during his lifetime is finite.

What’s particularly disheartening isn’t just the movie’s eventual disintegration, but rather that it occurred so near the production stage, following such extensive investment of time, effort (and presumably, funds). It’s uncommon for films to reach this critical juncture before they falter. Typically, issues are identified much earlier in the process.

At present, it remains ambiguous as to the specifics of the incident. The scenario took an unexpected turn because Phoenix, who initially proposed the idea for the movie to Haynes, is said to have lost interest in it. Given that he was enthusiastic enough to initiate the project, understanding what might have caused his change of heart is all the more intriguing.

As a die-hard fan, I’m still left wondering why Joaquin Phoenix chose to step away from his role in the upcoming Todd Haynes film. When asked about it recently, he diplomatically declined to share his perspective, stating that he didn’t want to be the sole narrator of the story. What makes this intriguing is also the uncertainty surrounding why Phoenix’s character isn’t being recast. Whatever the explanation, this decision means that we won’t get to witness the next Todd Haynes masterpiece, a loss, according to Christine Vachon, that is substantial for cinema as a whole. She further elaborated…

To me, he’s one of the most extraordinary filmmakers of his generation. It’s tragic and something I can’t shake off, that his talent was wasted during those years when he worked closely with Joaquin, and a film wasn’t produced as a result. That missed opportunity for us, the cultural community, to have another Todd Haynes movie feels criminal.

It’s worth noting that Todd Haynes recently directed one of the standout films of 2023 titled “May December“. However, when we can expect another film from him is uncertain as he’s been linked to a potential biopic on singer Peggy Lee. Unfortunately, this movie has yet to progress beyond the planning stages.

Though there might be future movies by Todd Haynes, it seems he needs to rethink his strategies. Fingers crossed that his last work doesn’t end up as an unrealized project. As for when we can expect another film from Haynes, details are scarce. On the other hand, Phoenix is busy with multiple films in production. Meanwhile, Ari Aster’s new movie, titled Eddington, is currently being made.

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2024-09-24 21:07