Sean Penn shocked two film studios by pulling out of upcoming films for personal reasons.

Penn has decided not to star in Universal's "Cartel," a film about a man who tries to protect his son after his wife is murdered by Mexican cartels. He also dropped out of MGM's "The Three Stooges," where he was to star as Larry.

Penn is taking a sabbatical, possibly for a year or more, to focus on his family, according to Variety. Penn and his wife, Robin Wright Penn, have been struggling with marital discord. The couple called off their legal separation last month. It was the second time Penn rescinded divorce papers.

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