Variety reports that Sean Penn is in talks with Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment to star in Cartel, an action/drama based on a 1993 Italian film La Scorta. Peter Craig wrote the script, which focuses on Ed Marker as he tries to save his son after his wife is brutally murdered by a Mexican cartel.

Asger Leth is set to direct the film in his dramatic feature debut. Leth previously won a DGA Award for the 2006 documentary Ghosts of Cite Soleil.

Fresh off the Best Actor Oscar, Penn can pick his roles. He is also in talks to star with Naomi Watts in Fair Game, a drama about CIA agent Valerie Plame.

Source: Variety