Sean Penn Takes a Break; Backs Out of THREE STOOGES and CARTEL

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sean Penn is taking a year-long break from acting to focus on his family.  I’m sure his family couldn’t be more thrilled that the intense actor wants to spend more time at home where, if he starts to feel low on energy, can turn on Fox News and fill his Rage Tanks.

In all seriousness, this is presumably nice news for the Penn family, but it’s bad news for the folks behind two of Penn’s upcoming films: the Farrelly Brothers adaptation of the “Three Stooges” and Asger Leth’s crime thriller, “Cartel”.

“Three Stooges” which co-stars Jim Carrey and Benecio Del Toro was scheduled to start shooting this August with a planned release date in 2010.  Now the question becomes whether or not the Farrellys, Carrey, and Del Toro can wait a year for Penn or if Penn would even be interested in doing the project a year from now or if they’ll just move to recast the role ASAP.  I’m betting it’s option “C”.  With such out-there choices as Penn, Carrey, and Del Toro as Larry, Curly, and Moe, respectively, I can’t wait to hear who the Farrellys would get to replace Penn.  May I suggest Clive Owen?  How about Daniel Day Lewis?  Hold on while I pull more names out of this hat I keep by my desk.

“Cartel” has already resolved to move forward and recast the role.  I hope they also re-title the film, “Cartel or How Sean Penn Is a Totally Replaceable Fuck and We Hate Him”.  They may have a little trouble getting that title past the MPAA.

But in sad news for conservatives who hate Penn because he’s all liberal and from Hollywood and stuff, he’s not vanishing from multiplexes any time soon.  He’s already wrapped Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” with Brad Pitt and Doug Liman’s adaptation of Valerie Plame’s political memoir, “Fair Game” with Naomi Watts.