Academy Award-winner Joaquin Phoenix, who will soon reprise his role as Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips' Joker: Folie À Deux, is facing intense backlash in Hollywood after deciding to drop out of a movie just days before production was set to commence.
Phoenix is said to have abruptly exited director Todd Haynes’ untitled gay romance movie last week, leaving the cast and crew in the lurch. The exact reason for his departure is not clear, but reports indicate that the actor "got cold feet in the lead up to the production."
The movie, which was also set to star Captain America: Brave New World’s Danny Ramirez, was said to focus on an intense gay romance in the 1930s.
“There’s been a huge amount of outrage,” one studio exec tells THR, and Phoenix's decision has opened up the possibility of legal action. Apparently, there's also been some talk of Phoenix being "blackballed," but most producers seem to be aware of how unrealistic this notion is given the actor's Hollywood status.
Even so, it seems Phoenix has been building a bit of a reputation for his "reticent attitude," and has reportedly threatened to walk away from projects in the past. According to THR, he said he would leave Ridley Scott’s Napoleon unless his The Master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson was brought in to do rewrites.
Phoenix was placated and the film obviously moved forward, but there are some that believe his... uneven performance as the historial figure may have been intentional (highly unlikely).
It remains to be seen if Phoenix stepping away from Haynes' film has any negative career repercussions, but the Joker 2 press tour should be very interesting.
“Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him."
From acclaimed writer/director/producer Todd Phillips comes Joker: Folie À Deux, the much-anticipated follow-up to 2019’s Academy Award-winning Joker, which earned more than $1 billion at the global box office and remains the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.
The new film stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar winner Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born). The film also stars Oscar nominees Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Catherine Keener (Get Out, Capote), alongside Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from Joker.