First Look at Pedro Pascal in Gay Romance Movie De Noche

After Joaquin Phoenix dropped out before the film was initially supposed to go into production in 2025, Todd Haynes’ gay romance movie De Noche is back in production with Pedro Pascal set to play the lead.

via: Pink News

Pedro Pascal has been photographed filming for upcoming Todd Haynes movie De Noche.

The movie, which previously had an uncertain future after Joaquin Phoenix left the production, got back on track earlier this year, with Pascal as the lead.

Production started in March of this year, as reported by Variety. Now, Pascal has been seen on set as his character – detective Richard Rent.

Pascal was seen filming in Mexico City. The film is set in the 1930s and will follow Pascal as a detective and Danny Ramirez, who will play boarding school teacher Joe Thomas.

Pascal was seen filming in Mexico City. The film is set in the 1930s and will follow Pascal as a detective and Danny Ramirez, who will play boarding school teacher Joe Thomas.

Written by Todd Haynes and Jon Raymond, the plot will see the characters have an unexpected love affair, as they’re targeted by the corrupt political machine of Los Angeles.

They’re then forced to flee to Mexico.

Haynes said of the film: “This story, with Pedro Pascal and Danny Ramirez in the two leads, arises out of an era – all too relevant to our own – of domestic corruption, racial exploitation and global terror.

“But it emerges as a testament to the inexplicable powers of desire and love to survive and overcome even the most crippling of human barriers.”

De Noche casting chaos

Danny Ramirez was originally set to star alongside Joaquin Phoenix, who had been developing the script with Haynes and Raymond. However the project was shelved after Phoenix – who reportedly got “cold feet” – quit.

Phoenix had been wanting Haynes to “go further” and push the film’s explicit scenes into NC-17 territory.

Producer Christina Vachon, of Killer Films, appeared to hit out at Phoenix after his exit, saying in a since-deleted social media post, as per The Hollywood Reporter: “It has been a nightmare.

“If you are tempted to finger wag or admonish us that ‘that’s what you get for casting a straight actor’ – DON’T.

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“This was HIS project that he brought to US – and Killer’s record on working with LGBTQ actors/crew/directors speak for itself. (And for those of you who HAVE – know that you are making a terrible situation even worse).”

The project was revived in August 2025, with Pascal replacing Phoenix.