Johnny Knoxville, Andy Sandberg On Three Stooges Shortlist

Casting News, News

The Wrap is reporting that three actors have been named as being on the shortlist for roles in the upcoming Three Stooges film to be written and directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly. Johnny Knoxville, Andy Samberg and Australian comedian Shane Jacobson have been approached to play Moe, Larry and Curly.

Previously, Peter and Bobby Farrelly had been developing the adaptation at MGM with stars Jim Carrey, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro attached. When the studio’s financial troubles caused the film to stall, the attached actors jumped off the project and the film was moved to 20th Century Fox. The script is apparently done and the film will be broken into three, 27 minute segments.

While I am not familiar with Jacobson’s work, Samberg and Knoxville are both entertaining comedians. What puzzles me, though, is why the film is even being made. Why make a non-biopic Three Stooges movie? Does the brand name really continue to resonate with today’s youth? If you were to release a movie with Knoxville and Samberg doing Stooge-esque stunts and gags, it would probably still bring in the pre-pubecent boys and man-children a Three Stooges movie is aiming for. By having the actors do impersonations of long-dead comedians most of today’s youth are only peripherally familiar with, the Farrellys are only opening themselves up to comparison with the original shorts from critics. They have nothing to loose or gain with most audiences. What do you think? Is a Three Stooges movie anything worth getting excited for?

Robert Saucedo is an avid movie watcher with seriously poor sleeping habits. The Mikey from Life cereal of film fans, Robert will watch just about anything — good, bad or ugly. He has written about film for newspapers, radio and online for the last 10 years. This has taken a toll on his sanity — of that you can be sure. Follow him on Twitter at @robsaucedo2500.