Todd Haynes is still desperate to make his Peggy Lee biopic 'Fever'.

The 62-year-old director had been set to make a movie that featured Michelle Williams as the legendary singer before the project was scrapped last year for financial reasons, although he is refusing to give up hope that it will eventually come to the big screen.

Todd told IndieWire at the New York Film Festival: "When it couldn't happen – when we thought it could happen and it was close to pre-production – it was tough.

"It's still a tender spot for all of us. We really put so much time and thought into it. And then I just had all of these other projects lined up that I was very excited to divert my energies into.

"But look, the interest in the subject hasn't gone away. The amazement with the subject and her hasn't gone away. And the desire to work with Michelle again hasn't gone away."

Michelle announced last year that 'Fever' was dead but did express hope that someone would be able to get the project going again.

The 43-year-old star said: "It's gone the way of the buffalo, I'm afraid.

"But if anyone reading this story would like to resurrect it, Todd and I are on board for that."

Haynes does have upcoming cinema projects to keep him busy and is preparing to direct Joaquin Phoenix in a queer period romance that is set in 1930s Los Angeles.

The 'May December' filmmaker said: "We hope to be mounting a production in Mexico.

"The two men run away to Mexico. It's set in 1937-38 Los Angeles, but they flee to Mexico. And I think there's a lot of intelligence that is leading us there, which would be an amazing experience."