“Rock of Ages” may not have anybody officially on board yet, but it’s not for lack of trying. Will Ferrell, Katy Perry, Seth Rogen, Taylor Swift, Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin and Gwyneth Paltrow have all been linked or rumored at various stages (Rogen recently laughed off those reports) over the past half year or so in what the filmmakers hope will be a star-studded, musical extravaganza. Well, yet another big name is now being thrown into the mix.
Deadline reports that Aldous Snow himself, Russell Brand, is circling the film that will tell the story of a small town girl who meets a big city rocker, and they fall in love to the greatest songs of the ‘80s. Brand is eyeing the role of Lonnie, who runs the ’80s rock club The Bourbon, owned by Dennis (the role Baldwin is said be considering). If cast, the two of them would sing REO Speedwagon‘s “Can’t Fight This Feeling” which frankly, sounds terrifying.
Adam Shankman, currently attached to direct, previously worked with Brand on the insipid Adam Sandler comedy “Bedtime Stories.” The project is set up at Warner Bros. who are apparently quite pleased with Brand’s work in the upcoming “Arthur” remake. Michael Arndt (“Little Miss Sunshine,” “Toy Story 3“) recently gave the script the rewrite and things are moving quickly. Everything is expected to fall into place very soon, including the casting of Tom Cruise as the decadent rock star Stacee Jax (uh, isn’t that better suited to Brand?), who will sing Bon Jovi‘s “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Okay. Filming is expected to begin in May.