posted 02-23-2011 01:01 PM                

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I just walked out of a screening for the Farrelly Brothers' new sex comedy Hall Pass and into a slew of news about what could be their next project: The Three Stooges. The Farrelly’s have been trying to turn the classic comedy team into a big screen movie for years now and, I was kind of impressed when I read their script. Somehow though, this thing has just never really come together. Everyone from Jim Carrey and Sean Penn to Andy Samberg and Benicio del Toro has been attached to the film. None of that seemed to pan out. Tonight we’ve been gifted with more casting rumors to heap on the pile. How does Justin Timberlake as Larry work for you?

The Boston Herald says Timberlake’s name is just one of those being considered by Peter and Bobby Farrelly for their renewed attempt at a Three Stooges movie. Other contenders for the Larry role are said to include Woody Harrelson and Larry David, of all people. Johnny Knoxville and Hank Azaria are supposed to be up for Moe, and Will Sasso is competing with a host of unknowns for the part of Curly.

That’s a lot to chew on. I’m not sure which, if any, combination of those names would actually work. The range of ages and styles and backgrounds among those actors is all over the map. How can Justin Timberlake and Larry David be up for the same part? It doesn’t make a lot of sense. Maybe that’s why even the Farrelly’s don’t sound like they have a clear direction yet. Bobby says, “It’s a little tricky, right? Because they all have to be about the same age and even around the same height. We’re waiting for that first person that we’re going to say, ‘This is going to be our Moe, Larry or Curly’ and we’ll build around that. But it’s going to happen soon. It will be within three weeks.”

The fact that they have a decision deadline, though, is good. Or at least it’s good if you actually want them to make this movie. It’s moving forward and they’ve already made plans to shoot in Georgia, where the tax incentives are favorable. The Three Stooges seems like it’s finally happening, even if the casting process doesn’t make a lot of sense. The Stooges have always thrived in chaos, I suspect they wouldn't want it any other way.

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