JOAQUIN PHOENIX - PHOENIX'S PEACE SIGN TO STAY

LATEST: A controversial film poster featuring JOAQUIN PHOENIX will appear in America uncensored, despite the fury of pro-war groups.

BUFFALO SOLDIERS - which also stars ANNA PAQUIN and ED HARRIS - provoked a storm of controversy ahead of its release in the US next month (03) as the promotional poster showed Phoenix wearing military fatigues and flashing a peace sign under the tagline 'Steal All That you Can Steal'.

The image infuriated the country's pro-war sector, who saw it as unpatriotic and anti-war. The response was so furious that distributor MIRAMAX decided to reshoot the poster without the offending peace sign - until the news leaked, and thousands of peace campaigners had their say.

One source reveals, "People were outraged that a peace sign has turned into something obscene that should be banned. Some people were also outraged with what they saw as a squelching of first-amendment rights."

A Miramax spokesperson confirms, "We heard from people who were both for and against the poster. And while we respect the opinions of both parties, we've decided to let Joaquin flash his peace sign."

Buffalo Soldiers, about an unscrupulous Cold War-era soldier, was released to positive acclaim in Canada in 2001 and Europe in 2002.