Joaquin Phoenix quit his steamy gay movie & the internet is READING him for filth

Remember those halcyon days just hours ago when we all thought we were going to be treated to Joaquin Phoenix and Danny Ramirez starring in an explicit gay romance directed by Todd Haynes?

Ah yes, the good old days.

Sadly, that bubble has burst as Indie Wire reports that the actor has pulled out of the film just days before it was set to begin filming because of “cold feet.”

This came as a surprise because of Phoenix’s heavy involvement with the project. Last year during his press tour for May December, Haynes said it was Phoenix who was the driving force behind their film’s expected NC-17 rating. “The whole experience was prompted by Joaquin,” he said at the time. “It was prompted by his daring, his desire to push through barriers and to really get into the uncomfortable places about this relationship. And yet it felt like a very organic process.”

While it’s unclear what exactly caused Phoenix to have cold feet. What we do know is that they were far enough into the production that it leaves the film’s would-be producers on the hook for a hefty price tag. “According to an inside source with knowledge of the film’s finances, multiple stakeholders on the Haynes project — from financiers to crew — still need to be compensated. Top Gun: Maverick star Danny Ramirez joined the cast in July as Phoenix’s love interest, right before shooting was set to begin,” Indie Wire reports.

The other thing we know is that folks online are BUMMED about this development and reading Phoenix for filth. Keep scrolling to see how they’re reacting.