Joaquin Phoenix is set to appear in one of the most highly anticipated movies on the 2024 movie schedule, but right now a lot of the talk surrounding the actor is focused on a movie he will not be in. The 11th Hour was a gay romance set to star Joaquin Phoenix and be directed by Carol’s Todd Haynes before the whole thing fell apart. Joaquin Phoenix was just asked about his decision to walk away from the project, and while he doesn’t say much, his answer is still telling.
Phoenix was on hand at the Venice Film Festival where the Joker: Folie A Deux cast was on hand to discuss the new film that is or perhaps isn't really a musical. During a press conference (via Deadline) the actor was asked about his decision to leave The 11th Hour just days before filming was set to begin. The actor declined to detail his reasons, partly because the other filmmakers weren’t there to tell their side of the story. Phoenix said…
I think if I do I would just be sharing my opinion from my perspective and the other creators aren’t here to say their piece. I don’t feel like that would be right. I’m not sure how that would be helpful. So, I don’t think I will.
While Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t explain his decision, he does make it clear that his perspective on the situation with The 11th Hour and that of the creators would likely differ. This would point toward some form of disagreement between the actor and the filmmakers on the project. He certainly implies that whatever his perspective is, others would likely have a different take on what happened.
The 11th Hour was a period piece, set in the 1930s, that was also a gay romantic drama. It would have co-starred Danny Ramirez, next seen in the Captain America: Brave New World cast. One producer of The 11th Hour did make some public comments about the film’s collapse. Christine Vachon called the situation “a nightmare” in a now-deleted Facebook post. Vachon also spoke about the decision to cast two straight actors in a gay romance, though it’s unclear if that had anything to do with the film falling apart.
Joaquin Phoenix’s decision to leave the film is especially surprising because it was the actor who reportedly brought the project to director Todd Haynes. At one point it was something the actor specifically wanted to do, which would seem to indicate that whatever Phoenix’s reasons were for walking away, they were significant.
In most cases like this, a project would simply be delayed and recast its lead. It's what happened when Rooney Mara took on one of the lead roles in Todd Haynes Carol. But that won’t be happening here. For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, Phoenix’s role won’t be recast, leaving the film almost certainly dead.
Considering the work, and the money that was spent to get the movie to the point of filming, it's not surprising people are clearly upset, though it may be some time before we ever learn what happened.
