There was much theorizing that Asger Leth’s Cartel would be a more action oriented role to ease Senn Penn into a new badassdom. Penn has since retreated back into semi-retirement, leaving a void in the casting. Instead of going for some other highbrow actor to set-up as a revenge seeking motherfucker, Leth has simply cast Josh Brolin, a ready-made badass.
The film itself still sounds like exploitation meets Oscar-bait, following a man dedicated to protecting his son from a Mexican cartel after they’ve already murdered his wife. Though no one is calling it a remake, Cartel is taking cues from La Scorta, a 90s Italian film that followed four cops instead of a husband, protecting a prosecutor instead of a kid, against the mafia instead of mex’cans.
Cartel will be shooting in January, giving Brolin just enough time to finish fucking with Shia in Wall Street 2.
Source | Variety