In a candid conversation at the San Sebastian Film Festival, Christine Vachon, producer and co-founder of Killer Films, opened up about the abrupt exit of Joaquin Phoenix from Todd Haynes’ much-anticipated gay romance film. Phoenix’s departure just days before shooting was set to commence reportedly left hundreds of crew members jobless and stalled the project indefinitely.
Vachon, a longtime collaborator of Haynes, expressed deep regret over the setback, describing it as “tragic,” particularly for Haynes, a revered figure in the industry. “Todd is 62, and there’s a finite number of films he’ll make in his lifetime. The idea that his time was wasted, and we lost the chance for another Todd Haynes film, is the real tragedy,” Vachon stated during a panel on the sustainability of filmmaking.
Project Loss Hits Hard
The untitled film, set in the 1930s and co-starring Danny Ramirez of Captain America: Brave New World, was poised to be an intense exploration of a gay romance. Phoenix had been involved in the project for years before his abrupt withdrawal. Vachon previously described the situation as a “nightmare” for the production team, which had been working closely with the actor up until his exit.
While Phoenix has avoided directly commenting on his decision to pull out, citing respect for the other creatives involved, Vachon lamented the cultural loss. “It’s criminal to me that the world was deprived of another Todd Haynes movie,” she remarked, emphasizing that the wasted years of preparation were the hardest to reconcile.
Impact on the Crew and Industry
The ripple effects of Phoenix’s departure were immediate, with hundreds of crew members suddenly left without work. The project’s collapse highlights the precarious nature of film production, where the actions of a key figure can upend months—or even years—of planning. Vachon noted that the incident underscores the challenges filmmakers face in today’s rapidly changing industry, especially in maintaining momentum and securing financial backing for creative projects.
Despite the setback, Haynes’ legacy as a visionary filmmaker remains intact, but the loss of this project is a poignant reminder of the fragile opportunities in cinema.