This seemingly confirms it. I dunno how reliable this source is:
[
www.telegraph.co.uk]
The comedian, who resigned from his BBC Radio 2 show last week over the obscene phone calls made to actor Andrew Sachs, could earn up to £5 million in the role.
He would not be the first tousled British star to appear alongside Johnny Depp in the film series; Rolling Stone Keith Richards had a brief cameo as Jack Sparrow's father in Pirates of the Caribbean 3.
A source quoted in The Sun said the part was "perfectly suited" to Brand, who is known for his eccentric style.
"There's a lot of Jack Sparrow in his mannerisms and behaviour. Depp's accent isn't a million miles away from Russell's either," the source said.
"Russell joining the Sparrows alongside Johnny and Keith Richards as their dad will complete the ultimate on-screen pirate family."