Universal Pictures has added the incredibly busy Josh Brolin to the cast of Cartel, in a role that was originally intended to go to Sean Penn before the latter decided to leave the film for a personal retreat from the movie business. Cartel, which begins filming this coming January in Mexico City, will be directed by Asger Leth, who previously directed Ghosts of Cite Soleil, a documentary which explored the gritty underbelly of Haitian gang life.

According to Variety, “Brolin will play a man on a mission to protect his son after his wife is brutally murdered in the gritty world of Mexican drug cartels.” Sounds like the premise of a lot of films in the works right now, but certainly a role that Brolin is mighty capable of handling.

The film is being produced by Brian Grazer, Robert Stone and Webster Stone. Brolin will also be seen in the upcoming Jonah Hex and Oliver Stone’s Wall Street sequel.