‘Anatomy Of A Fall’ Outfit MK2 Boards Todd Haynes & Joaquin Phoenix Detective Film Ahead Of EFM; Project Aiming To Shoot This Summer

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the EFM, Anatomy Of A Fall sales firm MK2 Films has boarded Todd Haynes‘ anticipated collaboration with Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix. 

We understand the secretive detective story, which is currently untitled, is aiming to shoot this summer, and MK2 and John Sloss’ Cinetic will be discussing the project with select buyers in coming weeks.

Details have been thin on the ground so far, but the movie is said to follow two men, one played by Joaquin Phoenix, who are intense lovers and leave California for Mexico. Additional casting is underway. Haynes’ regular producer Christine Vachon, Oscar nominated this year for Past Lives, is producing.

Haynes previously told Deadline‘s sister publication Variety about the project: “It’s a love story between two men set in the ’30s that has explicit sexual content, or at least it challenges you with the sexual relationship between these two men. One is a Native American character and one is a corrupt cop in LA. They have to flee L.A. ultimately and go to Mexico.”

In a separate interview, Haynes added that the pic would likely be NC-17 rated and came from a screenplay he developed with Phoenix and Jon Raymond.

“We basically wrote with him as a story writer,” Haynes said of the Joker actor. “Me and Jon Raymond and Joaquin share the story credit.”

Oscar nominee Haynes is coming off Cannes Film Festival drama May December starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. Oscar winner Phoenix is coming off Ridley Scott’s Napoleon and will next be seen later this year in anticipated sequel Joker: Folie À Deux.

Paris-based MK2 is riding high off the success of five-time Oscar nominee Anatomy Of A Fall.

MK2, Cinetic and reps declined to comment.

Zac Ntim contributed to this report.