‘Rock of Ages’ and Diablo Cody’s directorial debut should keep the newly single funnyman busy. By Kara Warner Russell Brand in London on Tuesday Photo: Colin MacFarlane / Splash News Russell Brand’s career has never been short on surprises, but his biggest shock yet might have come last week, when he filed for divorce from his wife of one year, Katy Perry . So what does 2012 hold for the newly single actor/comedian? Brand has several projects lined up in his professional life that might help distract him from the recent rockiness in his personal life. The “Get Him to the Greek” and “Arthur” star has a plum role in the star-studded movie musical “Rock of Ages,” which opens June 1. The film — which is a love story told through the “arena rock” stylings of popular ’80s artists like Journey, Pat Benatar, Bon Jovi, Styx and REO Speedwagon — is based on the popular Broadway show. Brand plays the role of Lonny, the film’s narrator and co-club operator, for which he’ll act and sing with castmates Alec Baldwin, Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Akerman and Julianne Hough. After “Ages,” Brand will jump into writer Diablo Cody’s directorial debut , originally called “Lamb of God” but currently listed on IMDb as “Untitled Diablo Cody Project.” Brand is set to star alongside “Ages” co-star Hough in a story of a young conservative religious woman who decides to go to Vegas and “live the life of a sinner” but ends up rediscovering her faith along the way. Brand has also been suggested as a candidate for the role of Tommy Lee in the movie version of Neil Strauss’ M
