Sean Penn In Talks For Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Inherent Vice’

Slowly but surely a fine cast is cropping up for Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice. We first reported Benicio Del Toro’s inclusion, and now it looks like Sean Penn wants in on Anderson’s new film

In the last few years Paul Thomas Anderson has escaped piling on the big names for focusing on smaller casts with break out performances from one or two big names. For example Joaquin Phoenix to The Master, and Daniel Day-Lewis to There Will Be Blood. However, if recent reports turn out to be true, it looks like Inherent Vice is going in a completely different direction in both genre and cast.

It’s said that Sean Penn is looking to join. Right now reports are saying that Penn is being looked at to play loan shark Adrian Prussia. If Penn signs on this will be his first project with Paul Thomas Anderson, so we’re thinking the role he’s going out for is pretty significant, as the actor is known to be quite choosy with his roles.

For Paul Thomas Anderson he’s stepping away from the dark tone of The Master in favor of a comedy. Inherent Vice is said to be “a Venice Beach slacker mixed with Cheech & Chong.”

As far as the cast goes, if Penn joins he’ll be stepping on board with a Who’s Who cast including lead Joaquin Phoenix, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio Del Toro, Martin Short, Jena Malone and Kevin J. O’Connor.

Sean Penn and Paul Thomas Anderson almost worked together in the past on the 2002 film Punch-Drunk Love . In the film Penn was supposed to take on the role of Dean Trumbell, but was later replaced by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who then worked with Paul Thomas Anderson again on The Master.

If they can get over scheduling conflicts it looks like Sean Penn has a great chance. Sooner rather than later, Penn is said to shoot another film called Prone Gunman, which sees him as an international spy that must clear his name to save himself from the organization he used to work for.

Inherent Vice is said to be backed by Warner Bros.