Danny Ramirez. Photo: Instagram
After a year of production uncertainty following Joaquin Phoenix’s abrupt exit, Todd Haynes’ highly anticipated subversive love story – now titled “De Noche” – is officially back on track.
According to reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, Pedro Pascal has stepped in to lead the 1930s-set romantic thriller, starring opposite Danny Ramirez.
The project made headlines last year when Joaquin Phoenix dropped out just five days before filming was scheduled to begin in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The exit reportedly left the production in a tailspin, with sets already built and crews hired. However, Haynes and producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler (Killer Films) pivoted, securing Pascal to take over the role of the “hard-boiled detective.”
The film is described as an intense, NC-17-rated detective story that explores a forbidden romance in a hyper-masculine environment.
Pedro Pascal plays a weary, cynical detective who finds himself entangled in a dangerous affair with a younger lover, played by Danny Ramirez (Top Gun: Maverick, The Beauty).
Todd Haynes, known for queer masterpieces like Carol and Far From Heaven, co-wrote the script with Jon Raymond. The story is expected to challenge the tropes of classic 1930s film noir by centering on sexual dissidence and the “absurdity of the closet” during that era.
Filming is set to resume in Guadalajara, Mexico, which serves as the backdrop for the gritty, atmospheric 1930s setting.
With the casting solidified and financing restructured, cameras are officially set to roll next month (March 2026). Pascal is fitting the shoot into a busy window between his commitments to The Last of Us Season 2 promotion and his upcoming Marvel projects.
