It’s a ‘Tragedy’ That Joaquin Phoenix Bailed on Todd Haynes’ Film, Producer Christine Vachon Says: His ‘Time Was Wasted’

"We, as a cultural community, lost an opportunity to have another movie by Todd Haynes. That is just criminal," the Killer Films co-founder said.

Killer Films’ Christine Vachon isn’t holding back her thoughts on the “tragedy” of a shelved Todd Haynes feature.

The producer spoke on the fate of Haynes’ queer romance during the Creative Investors’ Conference at the San Sebastian Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter). Joaquin Phoenix was set to star, but the Oscar-winning actor abruptly dropped out of the film five days before production began. IndieWire was the first to report the news.

“The truth is, pretty much what happened is out there for all of you to see,” Vachon said of Phoenix’s exit. “If I had anything to gossip about it, I would, but I don’t. It was tragic.”

Vachon continued, “The most tragic part about it, in my mind, is Todd Haynes is 62. He’s not old but there’s a finite number of films that he will be able to do in his lifetime. I consider him one of the most extraordinary film artists of his generation. The idea that his time was wasted and that a movie is not a result of those years of working closely with Joaquin, that is the tragedy to me and that I can’t get over.”

Vachon was producing the film with Pamela Koffler. The untitled feature would’ve starred Phoenix and Danny Ramirez as two men in the 1930s who begin a romantic relationship and leave Los Angeles for Mexico. Phoenix developed the screenplay with Haynes and Jon Raymond, who co-wrote the teleplay for Haynes’ HBO miniseries “Mildred Pierce.”

Production was set to begin in Guadalajara, Mexico, where sets had been constructed. Local crew members are allegedly still owed money after production was canceled.

“We, as a cultural community, lost an opportunity to have another movie by Todd Haynes. That is just criminal,” Vachon said.

When asked what Haynes will work on next, Vachon added, “There’s a big question mark above his head.”

IndieWire sources said financing was based on Phoenix’s casting and that the feature would most likely be an NC-17-rated film due to its graphic sexual content.

Haynes told IndieWire at Cannes 2023 that Phoenix was “pushing me further and going ‘No, let’s go further” when writing the graphic sex scenes. Haynes later added, “The whole experience was prompted by Joaquin. 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.”

Phoenix recently declined to comment on his exit from the Haynes film during the 2024 Venice Film Festival while promoting “Joker: Folie à Deux.”

“If I do [explain why I left], I’ll just be sharing my opinion from my perspective, and the other creatives aren’t here to say their piece,” Phoenix said, “and it just doesn’t feel like that would be right. I am not sure how that would be helpful. I don’t think I will.”