As Joaquin Phoenix gears up to reprise his Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck in the upcoming sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, the actor has found himself embroiled in a new controversy with his abrupt exit from Todd Haynes’ gay romance movie.
The actor, who was set to star in the movie and serve as its producer, reportedly withdrew just days before filming was scheduled to start. His actions are said to be negatively impacting the much-anticipated Joker sequel, potentially jeopardizing its chances in the Oscar race.
Hollywood Pressures Joaquin Phoenix to Settle After Abrupt Film Exit Amidst Joker 2 Release
Joaquin Phoenix’s abrupt departure from a project he was deeply invested in has left many in shock. New reports have revealed that the actor was the one who “brought it to Haynes, only to decide at the last possible minute that he didn’t want to do it.”
With Phoenix set to both star in and produce the film, his sudden exit has particularly upset crew members who were already hard at work building sets in Mexico, where filming was scheduled to take place.
The source told In Touch Weekly,
The word is that Joaquin is legally protected from being sued by other members of the low-budget production, but key people in Hollywood are urging him to make a financial settlement with the crew members that were hired for the film.
While no action in such regards has been taken so far, the insider stated that they expect the matter to be resolved soon, especially as Phoenix promotes his upcoming film, Joker: Folie à Deux.
The actor, however, has refrained from saying anything about his exit arguing that it could further complicate things between him and other creators.
But his actions have reportedly angered the “producing community” which could further impact his upcoming film Joker 2’s chances at the 97th Academy Awards.
Joaquin Phoenix’s Actions Could Jeopardize Joker: Folie à Deux’s Oscar Prospects
Joaquin Phoenix’s recent actions surrounding Todd Haynes‘ film could potentially jeopardize the success of his upcoming movie Joker 2 at the 2025 Oscars. As per In Touch Weekly source, his sudden exit has upset the producing community.
And it could damage his relationship and reputation within the community, potentially causing a lack of support for his upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux in the Oscar race.
[Joaquin Phoenix has] angered the producing community so much with this exit — People are saying he’s effectively out of the Oscar race.
Although those close to the 49-year-old actor believe he can recover from this situation and restore his reputation, concerns remain as he has yet to take any significant steps in that direction.
Earlier reports revealed that despite being heavily invested in the movie, Phoenix dropped out five days before the filming was set to begin. His sudden exit is expected to lead to significant financial losses, leaving the film in limbo, as Phoenix’s role cannot be recast.
Danny Ramirez had been cast alongside Phoenix as his love interest in what was expected to be an untitled NC-17-rated explicit gay love story. While the exact reasons for Phoenix’s departure remain unclear, rumors suggest that the actor left due to the explicit and graphic nature of the film’s intimate scenes.
Joker: Folie à Deux is set to release on October 4, 2024.
