Russell Brand to Star in and Produce Comedy 'The President Stole My Girlfriend' (Exclusive)

Russell Brand is attached to star in and produce The President Stole My Girlfriend, a comedy project Warner Bros. has just picked up from writer Matt Portenoy.

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Producing with Brand is his Branded Films partner Nik Linnen, with the company's Beau Bauman exec producing. Girlfriend originated inside the company and marks the first project set up by Brand and his recently-formed Warners-based banner.

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"In this movie, the president steals the girlfriend of a sexy hippie—me, obviously," Brand tells The Hollywood Reporter. "It was inspired by the night I naively invited [Warners president] Jeff Robinov for dinner."

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The project is the first major sale for Portenoy, who did a well-received rewrite on the in-development remake of Porky's. He also wrote a segment for Movie 43, a Peter Farrelly-produced Relativity comedy anthology; his segment stars Emma Stone and was directed by Griffin Dunne.

Portenoy is repped by WME, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment and attorney Rob Szymanski.

Brand, who starred for Warners in this year's Arthur remake, will next appear in New Line's all-star feature adaptation of Rock of Ages and is set to star opposite Julianne Hough in Juno writer Diablo Cody's untitled directorial debut.

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