Mar 25 2009Penn, Del Toro, and Carrey Probably Your New Larry, Moe, and Curly
The nyucking is all coming together. Variety reports that Sean Penn has officially signed on to play Larry in the Farrelly Brothers' modern take on a Three Stooges comedy; meanwhile, Jim Carrey is in talks to put on 40 pounds to play Curly, and Benicio Del Toro may be getting a bowl-cut:
Studio has set Sean Penn to play Larry, and negotiations are underway with Jim Carrey to play Curly, with the actor already making plans to gain 40 pounds to approximate the physical dimensions of Jerome "Curly" Howard.The studio is zeroing in on Benicio Del Toro to play Moe.
The film is not a biopic, but rather a comedy built around the antics of the three characters that Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Howard played in the Columbia Pictures shorts.
Steve Martin grave robbing the magnifying glass from Peter Sellers' cold hands has got me used to the idea of modern actors recreating iconic roles. I'm numb to it. Even though I'd say this is far more heinous, being that the actors who played the Stooges are completely synonymous with these roles, I'm willing to let this stand as a misguided tribute.
What worries me, though, is the standard this is setting for the future. In 40 years, when I'm taking my grandchildren to see the latest Ice Age movie (this one has prehistoric mammals, dinosaurs, and jets), I don't want to be greeted with a trailer for a new Austin Powers, with some new actor shouting familiar catchphrases through prosthetic teeth. If we're going to let Three Stooges: 2010 stand as a precedent, the possibility seems too real for comfort.
Reader Comments
1. Hairyman - March 25, 2009 5:18 PM
OUCH! This could be more painful than any of the antics that they play on each other. First?
2. What? - March 25, 2009 5:37 PM
I only approve of Del Toro, that would be funny to watch..
Jim Carrey.. uhg, just put Will Farrel in it too
3. Toby - March 25, 2009 5:57 PM
Man, the Farrely brothers are delusional if they think anything they've done lately stacks up against the original Three Stooges. Hollywood! Pull your collective brains out of your asses and come up with something original!
4. Photoshop Police - March 25, 2009 6:32 PM
Don't worry, Will Farrell will end up having a supporting or cameo role in every movie from now on. It's now SAG law.
5. _me - March 25, 2009 7:17 PM
I can't wait.
"TO THE MOON ALICE!"
That's next, just you watch. There is no originality left.
6. _me - March 25, 2009 7:18 PM
Oh, and starring Seth Rogen. Forgot to add that.
7. Zyclonis - March 25, 2009 7:22 PM
@5 Good call, I'm really surprised that hasnt come to pass yet. Immediately following (if not released the same year) we'll see "I Love Lucy" followed by a "I Dream of Jeannie (doh!)"... *look of disaproval* ಠ'~'ಠ
8. Brian - March 25, 2009 9:14 PM
Sean Penn is a worthless terd. He needs to have a ski accident.
9. sharon - March 25, 2009 9:37 PM
OMG thats JIM CARRY!!!! it's really unbelieveble!!!!
10. mtk - March 25, 2009 9:45 PM
This article is a week early, isn't it?
11. Batfink - March 26, 2009 3:50 AM
What about Shemp?
12. Heezy - March 26, 2009 8:03 AM
The Brothers Farrelly might have had something had they not cast Sean Penn. The guy orders a pizza in high school and we're stuck with him for life.
13. CrackedPepper - March 26, 2009 9:22 AM
@5
Um... they already made a Honeymooners movie remember? With Cedric the Entertainer and Mike Epps.
14. Gando - March 26, 2009 10:37 AM
I'm not that much a Jim Carrey fan but a la,it's only a movie right!?
15. che-che - March 26, 2009 10:41 AM
so. why sean penn. that cock sucker!
would love benicio do his role from fear and loathing. WHITE RABBIT!!
i cant see these characters out of their time. i hope they dont modernize it, maybe they travel in time to our modern world. or they jump through the t.v. screen and become real life characters. then they have to deal with real life situations, and they are not accepted in our world so they start to fade and die.
16. gosyco - March 26, 2009 11:21 AM
This is stupid.
You can't do old Hollywood slap-stick in today's politically-correct, tender-hearted and entitled society. Someone's feelings will be hurt, counseling will be required and the movie will end up in the red after reimbursing legal fees. There's the warning - use it or lose it.
Can't the great Hollywood come up with an original story? You'd think that at least one original screenplay could be gleaned from some aspiring author in this great country of ours - from sea to shining sea. But no - just keep re-hashing greatness into mediocrity, or worse. One of these days, we Americans will become fed up with this kind of cattle feeding entertainment just to suck the money out of our pockets.
Oh wait - we can't even throw the 'big switch.' Maybe government can help us...
17. sully - March 26, 2009 12:22 PM
@5
Yeah, and I bet after that a Flinstones movie. And then maybe a Land of the Lost movie! I bet they'll even do a Garfield movie, maybe some Alvin and the Chipmunks.... Probably a new Pink Panther. I hope they don't do a new Friday the 13th though... that would suck, especially if it was produced by Michael Bay, who also shouldn't do a rehash of Transformers, which is bound to happen anyway.
18. Baxter Pancake - March 26, 2009 1:42 PM
Wasn't the 2000 TV movie bad enough? And I'd assume the early Stooges films will be the inspiration for the movie...so shouldn't the actors playing the Stooges be a *little* younger than these A-list stars?
19. dB - March 26, 2009 5:39 PM
@17,
They already made a land of the lost movie last year. It starred Will Farrell. And didn't they have a new Alvin and the Chipmunks last summer?
20. Emkay - March 26, 2009 5:57 PM
@19
Your sarcasm detector is busted.
The Three Stooges?!
Has Hollywood gone insane? Wait... don't answer that. We all know that question was answered years ago.
But still, this has got to be the WORST thing to happen to entertainment since Tom Cruise!
21. Chris - March 26, 2009 6:34 PM
Is Jim Carrey gearing up for a Tommy Wisseau bio-pic?
22. Mladen - March 27, 2009 3:05 AM
Jim Carrey looks like Viggo, scourge of Carpathia, sorrow of Moldavia, there.
23. Electric Baloo - March 27, 2009 5:48 AM
People, people, people... We're missing a trick here. Surely Eddie Murphy can just play all three?
But yes, agreed, Will Ferrell would probably need to play Shemp.