Pedro Pascal in Talks to Lead Todd Haynes' De Noche

Pedro Pascal is in talks to take the lead in Todd Haynes new film De Noche, a production that had been halted after the abrupt departure of Joaquin Phoenix last year. If Pascal signs on, he would star opposite Danny Ramirez as two men whose relationship and flight from 1930s Los Angeles to Mexico drive the story. Producers are planning to restart production, with filming tentatively targeted for Guadalajara, Mexico in early 2026.

De Noche was developed as a period romance about a corrupt cop and his younger lover fleeing across the border. The screenplay was written with input from Phoenix, who helped develop the material with Haynes and writer Jon Raymond. Phoenix exited the project days before production was to begin, triggering a shutdown and leaving financing and international sales in limbo because those deals had been contingent on his attachment. The precise reasons for his departure remain unclear; when asked about the situation at a festival appearance last year, Phoenix declined to elaborate, saying, "I am not sure how that would be helpful. I don't think I will."

The project is being produced by Killer Films, led by Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler. Vachon has been...