Three Stooges Director Peter Farrelly Slaps Down Casting Rumors & Spills Plot Details

Remember how Curly from The Three Stooges would get really frustrated, scrunch up his face, and start barking? That’s kind of how the Farrelly brothers feel after all the erroneous reporting about their long-gestating film based on the three classic knuckleheads.

The latest rumor — that they’ve cast Jackass star Johnny Knoxville as Moe and Saturday Night Live’s Andy Samberg as Larry — is untrue. And annoying. “You don’t want people to think ‘they already cast that thing,’ because we haven’t,” Peter Farrelly tells Entertainment Weekly. “It’s wide open to everybody.”

Peter and his brother Bobby have been developing the project for nearly a decade, and for a while Sean Penn was interested in a role, along with Benicio Del Toro and Jim Carrey. “That was real. Sean Penn wanted to do it and when Sean wanted to do it, everyone wanted to do it. But he is extremely involved in Haiti right now,” Farrelly said. “We heard that if we waited a couple years, we could probably get him, but we’ve already waited a few years.”

Now the Fox project is aiming toward a mid-April start in Atlanta. Once Penn was out, Farrelly says, Carrey — who worked with the brothers on Dumb & Dumber and Me, Myself & Irene – also left the film. Farrelly says he likes Knoxville and Samberg, but they haven’t auditioned, and the Internet rumors that they’ve already landed the roles are false. “Right now, I don’t know. There is no leader in the clubhouse,” he says.

The Three Stooges movie they envision would be a fictional comedy — not a bio-pic of the original actors (if anyone still thought that). Instead, they intend to take the Moe, Larry and Curly personas and place them in a new story. “It’s The Three Stooges just like the [old shorts],” Farrelly says. “They’re going to look the same, dress the same, sound the same, act the same, with the same sound effects.”

The film will be structured in three acts, each a stand-alone story like the original episodes, but loosely connected. Most of it will be set in the present day, except for the first act, which begins 40 years ago. “A car whips by an orphanage, throws a duffel bag out its window and keeps going,” Farrelly says. “A nun sees the duffel and opens it up, and a little baby hand comes out and — Boink! — hits her in the eye. So that first episode is them growing up in the orphanage.”

The second act picks up with them as adults, in their early 40s, leaving the orphanage and heading out on the road together. After various misadventures, the trio splits up and the third act starts with them alone — and finding that all the slapping, eye-gouging, and head-bonking isn’t a useful way of dealing with the outside world.

“Suddenly, when Moe hits somebody he doesn’t know, that’s assault and battery,” Farrelly says, laughing.

Despite the brother-on-brother-on-brother violence, the Farrellys will aim for a PG rating by keeping the smacks and pokes “cartoony.” As for casting, they want actors who are willing to give themselves over to impressions of the numbskull characters created by Moe Howard, Curly Howard and Larry Fine.

“I don’t want ‘somebody’s version of Moe,’” Farrelly says. “It’s not like Batman where you can have your own take on Batman.”

Jim Carrey Feared Three Stooges Movie Would Have Damaged His Health

Jim Carrey has opened up about his decision to quit the Three Stooges movie - he feared gaining weight to play chubby character Curly would cause him drastic health problems.

The funnyman began binging on desserts after signing on to play the larger-than-life Stooge, opposite Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro in the long-awaited film.

But Carrey admits he was forced to pull out when he realised he wouldn't be able to lose the pounds he'd piled on.

He tells MTV.com, "I think it's dead. It's dead at least to me.

"There wasn't any creative difficulties that led to this exit, but rather the weight gain for the role. For me, I don't really want to do anything halfway, and I don't feel like a fat suit does it. I started experimenting with it a little bit, and I gained 35, 40 pounds. I wanted to gain another 30, 40.

"When you're (Robert) De Niro in your 20s or early 30s, you can kind of come back from that (weight gain). It's a tough thing to come back from when you're upwards of 30. Your body can't carry it or you can have a cardiac arrest."

Penn also bowed out of the project last year, citing personal reasons.

No additional information is available on the movie's filming status.

Male Co-Stars Get Buss-ted

Buss-ted!

They may be costars onscreen – but it looks like these guys are still feeling the love even after the cameras stop rolling.

During the recent Parisian premiere of I Love You Phillip Morris, Jim Carrey couldn't help but plant a sweet one on Ewan McGregor. (The two play lovers in the flick.) And though he may be engaged to Katy Perry, Russell Brand was feeling warm toward his Forgetting Sarah Marshall costar, Jason Segel, at a Haitian earthquake benefit in L.A. on Tuesday. Even Josh Brolin, who played Sean Penn's archrival in Milk, couldn't suppress his affection for his former costar. How sweet!

Madonna and Sean Penn's Chance Encounter

When Madonna and Sean Penn were spotted together at a tony New York City restaurant on Thursday, rumors swirled that the former Mr. and Mrs. Penn might be rekindling their romance.

Not so, according to Madonna's longtime publicist Liz Rosenberg, dismissing reports the pair, who divorced in 1989 after a stormy four-year marriage, lingered over a cozy, three-hour-plus dinner at Adour at the St. Regis Hotel.

"Madonna was at the St. Regis having dinner with friends," Rosenberg tells PEOPLE. "Sean stopped by the table to say hello. He sat for ten minutes and then left. Madonna continued with her dinner. That's all it was."

Madonna, who has been linked most recently with model/DJ Jesus Luz, is divorced from her second husband, Guy Ritchie. Penn's wife, Robin Wright Penn, filed for divorce from him in August.

Sean Penn Goes Back to The Three Stooges

Sean Penn has backtracked on his decision to leave the Three Stooges - the actor has rejoined the upcoming film just months after dropping out.

Penn was due to star in the movie based on 1930s comedy icons Moe Howard, Curly Howard and Larry Fine, which will be helmed by directing duo the Farrelly brothers.

The Oscar-winner had been lined up to play Larry opposite Benicio Del Toro as Moe, and Jim Carey, who was reportedly in talks to play Curly.

But Penn quit the project over the summer after reconciling with wife Robin Wright Penn, vowing to take a break from movies to help fix his marriage. The couple finally called it quits in August after Wright Penn filed divorce papers and now it seems her spouse is throwing himself back into work.

Bobby Farrelly has confirmed Penn is back on board the Three Stooges project, but they're still looking to fill the role of Curly, according to the Boston Herald.

Farrelly tells the newspaper, "We got him (Penn) back. He always said he wanted to do it after, you know, taking care of his family."

Madonna & Sean Penn Reuniting?

Now that they're both divorced, it only makes sense for the rumors to start that Sean Penn and Madonna are going to rekindle their relationship after a quarter of a century. InTouch reports:

A friend says Madonna, 51, and Sean, 49, have stayed in touch since having cocktails last November at New York's Greenwich Hotel and have helped each other through their respective splits (she divorced Guy Ritchie in 2008). And though she is casually dating Jesus Luz, "Madonna still considers Sean her soulmate," her friend reveals. "It's highly possible that she and Sean will somehow get back together now that they'll both be divorced."

However, Sean might want to act soon considering The Sun reports Madonna collapsed twice while performing in Bulgaria over the weekend:

Madge lost consciousness singing Holiday and had to be held up by a dancer. Then, as she left the stage during Spanish Lesson, she passed out and fell over.

A source said: "Madge was really worried backstage. She had to sit down for a longer break than usual between songs. She refused to end the show or take a break after the Holiday dizzy spell. It turns out she's suffering from exhaustion. She is anaemic.

"She was advised to postpone the last two shows in Israel for a few days, but logistics and stubborness stopped her. She'll do them then take some rest."

No More "Curly" for Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey has walked away from Peter and Bobby Farrelly's upcoming remake of The Three Stooges, according to a new report.

The funnyman was expected to take on the role of silver screen clown Curly in the long-awaited film, after entering negotiations in April.

Carrey had even begun to master his comedy voice and started to pile on the pounds to play the chubby character, with his girlfriend Jenny McCarthy admitting fans would be impressed with his performance.

She said, "He's definitely practising the role of Curly... He's basically enjoying his desserts... He's going to gain 50 pounds to play Curly.

"I listen to him walking around doing Curly... People are gonna be blown away when they see him."

But, according to The Boston Globe, Peter Farrelly has confirmed Carrey is no longer involved in the project - although Paul Giamatti is.

The Sideways star distanced himself from rumours he was signing on to the film back in June, when he insisted there had been no talks between himself and the Farrelly brothers.

However, the publication alleges Giamatti has now been confirmed to fill the role vacated by Sean Penn, who quit the film earlier this year citing personal reasons.

Sean Penn Drops Out of ‘Three Stooges’ Movie

Actor Sean Penn has dropped out of an upcoming film project, The Three Stooges. His fans will be disappointed to find out that he will not be lending his talents to the role of Larry in the upcoming remake. The reason behind his drop? Penn is reportedly going to take a much needed sabbatical.

Stating personal reasons, Penn and wife Robin Wright Penn have had their share of marital problems and have recently called off their legal separation for the second time. One thing seems clear–they apparently want to make their marriage work.

His plan is to take at least a year or more off to focus his attention on his family.

Sean Penn Calls Off Divorce for a Second Time

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn has called off his divorce from Robin Wright Penn for a second time, weeks after seeking legal separation.

Weeks after saying he and his wife of 13 years will separate on the grounds of irreconcilable differences, Penn has withdrawn a court application filed in Marin County near San Francisco, the New York Daily News reported, citing court records.

"It was an arrogant mistake," Penn told the newspaper.

It is not the first time that Penn, 48, and Wright Penn, 43, have teetered on the brink of divorce.

The couple started divorce proceedings in December 2007 but got back together again a few months later and withdrew the petition. The couple have two children, aged 18 and 15.

Penn won his second best-actor Oscar in February for his role as gay activist Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's "Milk."

Wright Penn, who starred in the 1999 romantic drama "Message in a Bottle," is currently in France, where she is a juror at the Cannes Film Festival.

A representative for the actress declined to comment.

Diego Luna Says Gael Garcia Bernal is a Better Kisser than Sean Penn

On last night's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Gael Garcia Bernal appeared with BFF and sometime co-star Diego Luna, and Bernal demanded to know whether he or Sean Penn is the better kisser. A refreshingly comfortable exchange when compared with some of Franco's.

Said Luna: "I have to say Gael is a better kisser. And he doesn't smoke, which is good. At 8 am in the morning. He's good. Yes."

Here's the video clip from the interview.

Sean Penn Files for Legal Separation from Robin Wright Penn

After 13 years of marriage and two children together, Sean Penn has filed for legal separation from his wife, actress Robin Wright Penn.

This is the third time the couple has moved to legally end their marriage. In December 2007, Penn filed for divorce, his petition to be dismissed shortly thereafter. Three days later, his wife filed separately. By April of last year, however, the couple seemed to want to work things out, and asked that the petition be dismissed.

Sean Penn did not thank his wife during his acceptance speech at this year's Academy Awards, which caused many to speculate that all was not well in the marriage. Penn told Oprah Winfrey on her show that he "wanted to keep things focused on the professional team around [Milk, the film for which he won the Best Actor award]."

Penn, 48, has been linked in the tabloids to Natalie Portman, 27, although the reports remain unconfirmed.

The Three Stooges: Penn, Carrey and Del Toro

Sean Penn, Jim Carrey and Benicio Del Toro have been lined up to star in a new movie based on 1930s comedy icons The Three Stooges.

Director siblings the Farrelly Brothers are behind the new project, about the slapstick antics of Moe and Curly Howard and Larry Fine.

Oscar winner Penn is expected to play Larry, with Carrey and Del Toro taking on the roles of Curly and Moe, respectively, reports Daily Variety.

The project marks 48-year-old Penn's first comedy movie since 1989's We're No Angels.

Sean Penn Wants to Take Milk to the White House

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn has said that his film Milk is "one of the steps forward" in the battle for gay marriage.

Mr Penn won the Academy Award for his portrayal of Harvey Milk, the first openly-gay man elected to public office in the United States.

Mr Milk was assassinated less than a year after his election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.

During his acceptance speech at last week's ceremony Mr Penn spoke about gay marriage.

In November voters in California approved a ballot measure denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry.

Proposition 8 was in response to a court ruling that gay marriage was legal. The validity of Prop 8 is being challenged in the state Supreme Court.

Between June and November 18,000 same-sex couples got married in California.

Mr Penn said he hoped Milk would change attitudes towards same-sex marriage.

Now he has revealed he wants to take his film to the country's President. "Eventually we are hoping for a White House screening," he said. "I think this film will be one of the steps forward … but I think things are going to go forward with or without it."

"I was once asked to tell the difference between luxury and necessity for a human being. The right to equality for all, including homosexuals, is of course a necessity. That's why this right will become a reality and I think in its own way this film will be part of that."

"The need for tolerance, equality and so on is on the move, and will go on."

President Obama supports civil unions but not same-sex marriage.

On Wednesday the California Supreme Court will hear arguments about the validity of Prop 8.

"Milk" Receives Rave Reviews

Milk tells the story of slain gay rights icon Harvey Milk from Academy Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant. Early reviews for the film and especially Sean Penn's portrayal of Milk are very strong.

Here is what the entertainment venues are saying:

The Hollywood Reporter:
“Yes, it’s a biopic, a love story, a civil rights movie and sharp political and social commentary. But it transcends any single genre as a very human document that touches first and foremost on the need to give people hope.”

Variety:
“The quality of the writing, acting and directing generally invests them with the feel of real life and credible personal interchange, rather than of scripted stops along the way from aspiration to triumph to tragedy. And on a project whose greatest danger lay in its potential to come across as agenda-driven agitprop, the filmmakers have crucially infused the story with qualities in very short supply today — gentleness and a humane embrace of all its characters, even of the entirely vilifiable gunman, Dan White.”

Milk opens on November 26 in limited release and December 5 wide.

For more infomation, visit MilkTheMovie.com.

Sean Penn says: "I Kissed A Boy."

Sean Penn, who is to star in new film Milk, has shared an on-screen kiss with co-star James Franco.

The actor was reportedly so excited about his first gay kiss that he sent a text message to Madonna about it.

Mr Penn and Madonna were married in 1985 but divorced four years later.

Mr Franco said: "After our kiss, Sean texted Madonna and said, 'I just popped my cherry kissing a guy. I thought of you. I don't know why.'"

Mr Penn also has to kiss Mart Martinez in the film. Of the kiss, Mr Martinez said: "I'm performing, and Sean comes onto the dance floor. He grabs me, and he just slaps the biggest kiss on me.

"It felt like the kiss was forever. I'm like, 'Is he going to stop?' I had to close my eyes, I just couldn't believe it!"

Milk will depict the life of Harvey Milk, California’s first openly gay elected official. Milk was assassinated in 1978.

(Article from www.pinknews.co.uk)