Joaquin Phoenix’s last movie was the strange documentary ‘I’m Still Here’, and it’s no wonder he needed to take a break. That was one big hot mess.

Despite being rumored to be in retirement, Phoenix will be acting again soon, in Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly anticipated movie about Scientology!

According to New York magazine, Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner (‘The Hurt Locker’) had originally been slated for a role that, thanks to financing delays, may now end up reviving Phoenix’s career.

In the script, Philip Seymour Hoffman is set to co-star as a charismatic, manipulative leader (fashioned after Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard) who founds a new religious movement in the 1950′s. Now Variety reports that Phoenix may step in to portray an alcoholic drifter who becomes the right-hand man to Hoffman’s character, but develops doubts about his mentor.

After Phoenix’s long, bizarre experiment as a bearded rapper was filmed by ‘I’m Still Here’ director Casey Affleck (and then failed to wow fans and critics), the Oscar nominee, 36, tiptoed back into the public eye in January, as part of an online video in support of suicide prevention.

Photos (Fame): Joaquin steps out for a cigarette in Los Angeles this afternoon.

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Joaquin Phoenix is coming back to the big screen! Variety reports that Joaquin is in talks to join Philip Seymour Hoffman in Paul Thomas Anderson’s untitled religious drama. The story is based on the founding of Scientology and has Hoffman playing “Lancaster Dodd, a charismatic intellectual known as The Master” who creates a new religion, but eventually comes into conflict with his chief disciple. Phoenix would play the disciple, Freddie Sutton, “an alcholic drifter who becomes his right-hand man only to begin questioning his manipulative mentor.”

I’m so glad Joaquin’s back!!

Casey Affleck has finally admitted what we all assumed to be true. Last year’s very public meltdown of Joaquin Phoenix (which started with his crazed David Letterman appearance) was ALL FAKE. Joaquin appeared to have lost his ever lovin mind, and tried to start a rap career. (Watch the videos of him “rapping” here)

His documentary “I’m Still Here” was a just a performance by Joaquin. “It’s a terrific performance, it’s the performance of his career,” he told the New York Times.

He was speaking of Phoenix’s two-year portrayal of himself — on screen and off — as a bearded, drug-addled aspiring rap star, who, as Affleck tells it, put his professional life on the line to star in a bit of “gonzo filmmaking” modeled on the reality-bending journalism of Hunter S. Thompson.

“I’m Still Here” opened last week, and has been panned by critics. “The reviews were so angry” said Affleck. “I never intended to trick anybody. The idea of a quote, hoax, unquote, never entered my mind.”

“It is a hard movie to watch,” he admits.

He says none of it was real. Not a thing. Even his now famous stint on Letterman was fake – so fake in fact, Letterman wasn’t even in on it. He summed up the interview: “Joaquin, I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.”

Apparently when Joaquin goes on Letterman on Wednesday, he will no longer be in character. So we should hopefully finally get to see the REAL Joaquin. We’ve been missing him! This whole crazy stunt was stupid, and from the sounds of it – so is his movie.

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I want to see this, not gonna lie.

The trailer for ‘I’m Still Here’ has arrived. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as an aspiring rapper named Joaquin Phoenix, the documentary (?) has been in the works for over a year, ever since the ‘Walk the Line’ actor emerged into the spotlight with a gnarly beard and equally unruly hair to make bizarre public appearances, including a now-infamous sit-down with David Letterman.

All the while, Phoenix was tailed by his camera-toting bro-in-law, Casey Affleck, who directed. The trailer itself doesn’t really say much about the film, except that there will be plenty of screen time for the beard, in addition to scenes involving a frustrated Phoenix riding on planes, hugging P. Diddy and looking down in the dumps.

Pop Eater

Looks more like a mugshot than a movie poster! I totally want to see this, not gonna lie…

The directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actor Casey Affleck, I’M STILL HERE is a striking portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of internationally acclaimed actor Joaquin Phoenix. With remarkable access, I’M STILL HERE follows the Oscar-nominee as he announces his retirement from a successful film career in the fall of 2008 and sets off to reinvent himself as a hip hop musician. Sometimes funny, sometimes shocking, and always riveting, the film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads. Defying expectations, it deftly explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye.

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