"Joker" star Uncle Phoenix suddenly quits the new film 5 days before shooting: the loss may reach millions

Famous actor and Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix suddenly announced his withdrawal from the filming of his latest movie just five days before it was to begin, with rumors swirling that he was "backing out at the last minute."

According to Variety, this is an untitled gay-themed love movie directed by Todd Haynes (who directed the 2019 film Dark Waters). Phoenix is ​​actually actively involved in the production of the film and is developing the script with the director and Jon Raymond.

Currently, the entire set of the film has been built in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the film has been sold to distributors.

The report said the film is now "in jeopardy" because Phoenix's role "cannot be recast." All staff and stakeholders are waiting for the first paycheck, and the film's losses may be "more than seven figures." The report did not clarify why Phoenix "backed out at the last minute."

It is said that "Top Gun: Maverick" star Danny Ramirez will co-star with Uncle Phoenix, and the director has previously stated that the film's target rating is NC-17, which means it contains adult content.

According to Deadline, Phoenix "left the set" in late July, while Ramirez traveled to San Diego to attend Comic-Con International and said it was unclear whether the film would actually go into production.

Phoenix's upcoming film is Joker 2: Double Delusion. He also won an Oscar for his performance as the Joker in the previous film released in 2019.