Todd Haynes’ queer drama, ‘De Noche’ revived with Pedro Pascal in talks to star

Todd Haynes’ long-stalled drama De Noche is back in motion, with Pedro Pascal in discussions to lead the project. The film, which shut down a year ago, is now being lined up to start production early next year in Guadalajara, Mexico, pending scheduling around Pascal’s commitments through 2026.

The project was once considered abandoned after Joaquin Phoenix, originally attached to star, exited abruptly. Phoenix reportedly brought the film to Killer Films, but his departure left the production in limbo. Producer Christine Vachon later described the collapse as a “tragedy,” though she declined to elaborate on the circumstances.

Pascal would star opposite Danny Ramirez, who remains attached from the earlier iteration. The story follows two men who leave Los Angeles for Mexico in the 1930s, exploring themes of love and identity against a historical backdrop.

Killer Films is producing, continuing its long-standing collaboration with Haynes on works including Poison (1991), Velvet Goldmine (1998), I’m Not There (2007), and Carol (2015). Vachon and Pamela Koffler, co-founders of Killer, recently partnered with Pascal on A24’s summer hit Materialists, which grossed $85 million worldwide.

Haynes, an Academy Award nominee for Far From Heaven (2002), has been a fixture in American independent cinema for decades, often working on projects that challenge conventional depictions of sexuality and identity. De Noche continues that trajectory as a queer romance situated in a turbulent period of history.

Pascal’s potential casting comes as his profile continues to rise. He is currently nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series at the Emmys for HBO’s The Last of Us, his second nod for the role. He was also nominated at the 2024 Golden Globes for the same performance. Most recently, he starred in Marvel’s Fantastic Four: The First Steps, as well as , Ari Aster’s Eddington.