John Waters Says the 'Liarmouth' Movie Won't Be Happening

In a year when Todd Haynes fans had to absorb the news that star Joaquin Phoenix's abrupt departure from a '30s-set gay noir romance meant that the out director's project would likely shutter for good, the last thing anyone needed was to hear of another gay director having a movie slip out of his grasp.

But that's what's happened: John Waters fans will be crying foul now that the iconic director, hailed as the "Pope of Trash" thanks to his array of filthy, funny films, says that the movie version of his novel "Liarmouth" won't be happening due to a lack of funding.

Waters, World of Reel relayed, "is now telling The Houston Chronicle that the film is no longer happening. [Story is behind a paywall.] He's moved on to other projects.

"This is too painful to take," the outlet added, noting that "Waters hasn't directed a film since 2004's 'A Dirty Shame.'"

The news was not entirely unexpected. Waters fretted about financing for the movie last spring. In a promotional interview for the 4K reissue of his 1990 Johnny Depp movie "Cry-Baby," Waters discussed the prospect of a "Pink Flamingoes" opera and a "Serial Mom" TV series adaptation before declaring that the "Liarmouth" movie was stuck in limbo due to a lack of money in spite of the star power that Aubrey Plaza brought to the project.

Asked about the status of the film, Waters explained that though Village Roadshow "optioned the book, I wrote the script, they liked it, Aubrey likes the script, wants to be in it, I want her to be in it... every person said, 'No, we don't have a penny of the budget.'"