AceShowbiz - Joaquin Phoenix, renowned for his transformative roles, surprised everyone involved by abruptly walking away from the untitled Todd Haynes film five days before filming was to begin. The film, which has been in development for years, was poised to be an explicit gay romance set in 1930s Los Angeles and Mexico, with Phoenix in the lead role.

The film, produced by Killer Films and backed by MK2 Films, hinged heavily on Phoenix's involvement, with international sales and financing contingent on his participation. According to multiple sources, entire sets had already been constructed in Guadalajara, and crews had been hired when Phoenix made the sudden decision to back out.

Danny Ramirez, known for his roles in "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Captain America: Brave New World", was cast in a supporting role as Phoenix's love interest.

The storyline, based on fragments of ideas from Phoenix himself, revolved around a corrupt L.A. cop and a Native American escaping to Mexico. The film was set to be a daring NC-17 exploration of a gay relationship, with Haynes wanting to make the sex scenes as explicit as possible.

The abrupt exit of Phoenix, who will be seen in the upcoming "Joker: Folie a Deux", has led to speculation among the crew that the graphic nature of the film's sex scenes might have caused his discomfort. However, this theory remains unverified as Phoenix had been a driving force behind the project.

Sources reveal that there are no current plans to recast Phoenix's role, leaving the project indefinitely stalled and putting the hired workers and crew in a precarious financial situation.

With the film now on hold and losses potentially exceeding seven figures, Todd Haynes is shifting his focus to another project, an HBO limited series adaptation of the Hernan Diaz novel "Trust", starring Kate Winslet.

The future of the untitled gay romance film, however, remains uncertain as Phoenix's unexpected exit has cast a significant shadow over its production.