Russell Brand, 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' costar, signs a major book deal

British comedian and actor Russell Brand, who won over American audiences with his hilarious turn as rocker Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, has signed a multi-million-dollar two-book deal with HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide. In addition, the London-based publisher has secured the U.S. rights to Brand’s award-winning debut title, My Booky Wook, which has sold more than 600,000 hardcover copies in the U.K. and was at the top of the London Sunday Times‘ bestseller list for seven consecutive weeks; it’ll come to U.S. stores in early 2009. The first book under the new contract will hit U.K. shelves in time for the 2008 holiday season. In a press release being issued on Thursday, Brand is quoted as saying, “I am very pleased to get money for writing these books as I was going to write them anyway.”

Recently, Brand has taken his stand-up act across North America, and he is scheduled to perform at Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival from July 17 through 19. On Friday, July 18, he will also make a special appearance at “Apatow for Destruction,” a night of comedy curated by Sarah Marshall producer Judd Apatow. His next featured movie role will be in Adam Sandler’s comedy Bedtime Stories, which is due to hit theaters on Christmas day.