Russell Brand has gone awfully quiet as of late. After really breaking out with 2010’s Get Him To The Greek, he starred in a couple flops (Hop, Arthur) and then practically disappeared. Sure, he’s shown up here and there (voicing a role in Despicable Me 2 this past summer, among other things), but he’s certainly not as big a name as he once was.
However, it looks like Brand is getting back into things now as The Wrap is reporting that he’s eyeing Werner Herzog’s Vernon God Little, based on DBC Pierre’s Booker Prize-winning 2003 novel. Furthermore, the report states that in addition to Brand, Sasha Pieterse and Austin Abrams are also in talks for roles in the film.
Scripted by Andrew Birkin, Vernon God Little will be a “satirical black comedy that comments on America’s obsession with both fame and violence.” The story itself centers on a school shooting, with the titular Vernon Little being the best friend of the shooter. Pieterse is in talks to play Vernon’s dream girl and Abrams will be Vernon. As for Brand, he’ll step into the shoes of “a charming but manipulative reporter who prioritizes the story over all else.”
For more details, check out the full plot summary below:
The memorable portrait of America is seen through the eyes of a wry, young, protagonist. Fifteen-year-old Vernon narrates the story with a cynical twang and a four-letter barb for each of his townsfolk, a medley of characters. With a plot involving a school shooting and death-row reality TV shows, Pierre’s effortless prose and dialogue combine to form a novel of postmodern gamesmanship. Hailed by the critics and lauded by readers for its riotously funny and scathing portrayal of America in an age of trial by media, materialism, and violence, Vernon God Little was an international sensation when it was first published in 2003 and awarded the prestigious Man Booker Prize.
In all honesty, I actually haven’t heard of Pierre’s novel, despite all the acclaim and accolades that its received. From the above description alone though, I can safely say that I’m intrigued. The material sounds really interesting and especially in the hands of a filmmaker like Werner Herzog, it could turn out to be a thoughtful and insightful movie.
Tell us, what do you think of Vernon God Little? Have you read the book? Are you happy to see Brand joining?
