Sean Penn has just unceremoniously dropped out of two studio-produced films. The first that Sean was supposed to do was Cartel, which the producers have already announced will go on without Sean. The second film was that Three Stooges project that was announced with Sean, Jim Carrey and Benecio del Toro. The studio might wait for Sean for that one.

The announcement came late Tuesday, and a spokesperson told Variety that Sean was “taking an undetermined sabbatical — possibly as much as a year — to focus on his family.” His family being Robin Wright Penn, whom he recently dumped and then came back to, and his two teenage kids. Because even though Sean Penn loathes politicians, he’ll still use that ancient excuse of “spending more time with his family” that politicians-in-crisis use. Most of the time, for actors and politicians, there’s something much seedier going on.

Sean Penn’s busy shooting schedule has suddenly gone dark.

In an announcement that has caught two studios by surprise, Penn has pulled out of two films, citing personal reasons.

Penn has informed Universal and Imagine that he will be unable to star in the Asger Leth-directed drama “Cartel,” which was to be his next movie. His role will be recast. Studio is putting together a list of actors now and hopes to stick with an early fall start date.

Scripted by Peter Craig, the movie follows a man who journeys to protect his son after his wife is murdered by Mexican cartels.

Penn will also be unable to make the start date of MGM comedy “The Three Stooges.”

He was to star as Larry in the pic, directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly. “Stooges” also stars Jim Carrey as Curly and Benicio Del Toro as Moe. It’s unclear if the studio will recast or wait for Penn to return to work.

Penn has completed two films for River Road, both earmarked for release next year. “Fair Game,” the Doug Liman-directed drama about outed CIA agent Valerie Plame, co-stars Naomi Watts. The Terrence Malick-directed “The Tree of Life” also stars Brad Pitt.

During the Cannes Film Festival, Penn was revealed to be in talks to star in “This Must Be the Place,” which will mark the English-language feature debut of Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino, with a script co-written by Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello (Daily Variety, May 17). Pic was to be produced by Nicola Giuliano of Indigo Film and Andrea Occhipinti of Lucky Red. Financing and scheduling were not yet complete on that film, but Penn still intends to make the film at some point.

Penn is taking an undetermined sabbatical — possibly as much as a year — to focus on his family.

[From Variety]

So, what’s behind all of this? Does anyone buy that Sean Penn would pull out of two films just to spend time with his family? The rumors about Sean Penn being drugged up, cranked up, coked up and liquored up have been swirling for months now, so is this all drug-and-alcohol related. Michael K at Dlisted thinks so, pointing out a recent blind item in Page Six: “Which actor is on hiatus due to a drug relapse? He claimed he needed time off because of the heartbreak of his public split, but he’s actually headed to rehab.” Sounds like Sean to me.

Sean Penn is shown at the Oscars on 2/22/09. Credit: WENN.com