Sean Penn may soon once again be battling humongous waves and not driving on 'ludes, according to Variety. He's already set to produce a biopic of Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, but the exciting news is that Penn may decide to play the ageing surfer dude himself.
Paskowitz is a graduate of the prestigious Stanford Medical School, but abandoned his medical career to concentrate on surfing. He and his third wife lived on the road in camper vans for 25 years, setting up America's first surf camp and somehow raising nine children along the way. Part counter-culture guru and part holy fool, Paskowitz has his own ideas about the line dividing education and "wisdom". None of his kids were formally educated. As adults, they are not entirely pleased about this. But they know how to ride a wave.
The now 89-year-old Doc has always resisted selling his "life rights" to the movies, but finally relented once Penn joined the project. The screenplay is being written by close Penn ally Paul Feldsher (The Four Feathers), and joining Penn on producing duties will be Alan and Gabe Polsky, who were behind Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant.
Penn is attracted to these stories about characters on the fringes of society, as demonstrated any number of times, whether in front of the camera or behind it. Three years on from the thoroughly wonderful Into the Wild, is it too much to hope that he might direct this too?