Opening of the gay-themed jailhouse
romance film starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor as a pair of
star-crossed lovers has been shelved – possibly indefinitely, the
Los Angeles Times reported.
I Love You Phillip Morris first
premiered over a year ago at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. But
producers were unable to secure distribution for the film until they
offered a less gay version. Still, a March 26 release was delayed
until April 30.
The film, however, won't be released at
the end of the month and a new date has not been scheduled, a
spokeswoman for the film told the paper.
The movie, based on the book of the
same name by journalist Steve McVickers, follows the true story of
Steven Russell (played by Carrey, Liar Liar) and his
improbable, but true, transformation from small-town businessman,
father and former cop to gay white-collar criminal and ingenious
jailbreaker.
After a car crash, Russell's life takes
a most unusual roller coaster ride that leads him to a life of crime,
being gay, and falling in love with his cellmate Phillip Morris
(played by McGregor, Star Wars).
Between 1993 and 1998, the clever
Russell broke out of a Texas jail four times in five years and always
on a Friday the 13th, twice landing into a six-figure job
as a CFO of a major company.
Russell's enduring love for one-time
fellow convict Morris, and the dream of being together and free,
proves to be the Achilles' heel that foils his plans.
Last month, McGregor spoke to Out's
Joshua David Stein about efforts to de-gay the film.
“I'm very keen that it's a gay movie.
There was quite a lot of talk at Sundance that 'Well, it's not a gay
movie. It's a film about guys who happen to be gay,'” McGregor
said. “And I was thinking, it's nothing but a gay movie. It's
about a gay couple, about a man's sexuality, and he comes out. It's
not the point of the film, but let's not pretend it's not a gay
film.”