This article has been updated to reflect CBS' joint announcement with Warner Bros. Television on Friday.After months of much speculation, Charlie Sheen 's 'Two and a Half Men' replacement has finally been selected and it's not Hugh Grant. CBS and Warner Bros. Television confirmed on Friday that Ashton Kutcher has landed the plum role of the lead star in CBS's comedy hit."I can't wait to get to work with this ridiculously talented 2.5 team and I believe we can fill the stage with laughter that will echo in viewers' homes," Kutcher said in press release about the move. "I can't replace Charlie Sheen but I'm going to work my ass off to entertain the hell out of people!"Chuck Lorre, creator and executive producer of the show, also chimed with praise for the film and TV star. "We are so lucky to have someone as talented, joyful and just plain remarkable as Ashton joining our family," Lorre said in the CBS-Warner Bros' annnouncement. "Added to that is the deep sigh of relief knowing that our family stays together. If I was any happier, it'd be illegal." 

 'Men' a Go Ashton to Make Way Less than Charlie 
 
 'Two and a Half Men' -- Ashton Kutcher To Make Way Less than Charlie Sheen 
 
 has officially signed on to " Two and a Half Men " ... and TMZ has learned he'll be making more than half of Charlie Sheen 's base salary ... but less than $900,000 an episode.Sources tell TMZ, Charlie's base pay on the show was $1.25 million an episode. We've learned Ashton will get more than half -- more than $625,000 -- but less than $900,000.There are reports Charlie received upwards of $2 million an episode, but that includes his profit participation.And TMZ has learned, CBS honcho Les Moonves has already signed off and he will announce the show is coming back for Season 9.And sources say the remaining cast -- including Jon Cryer and-- will be coming back.We're told Ashton spent time with creator and Executive Producer Chuck Lorre and the two got along great -- something that was essential for Lorre, who was at war with Charlie.Ashton will NOT be playing the Charlie Harper character. He'll be playing someone new, who comes into the "Men" Malibu house. 

 CBS Corp. and Warner Bros. are close to bringing actor Ashton Kutcher on board the sitcom "Two and a Half Men" in a newly created role, according to people briefed on the deal. 
 
 Associated Press Actor Ashton Kutcher 
 
 Signing Mr. Kutcher would give a new lease of life to TV's most-watched comedy, less than a week before CBS is set to announce its fall schedule to advertisers. Both CBS, which airs the show, and Warner Bros., which makes it, have been looking for ways to save the program since firing its original star Charlie Sheen in early March. 
 
 As part of the deal, Mr. Kutcher would be paid around $1 million per episode, the people briefed on the deal said. It is unclear whether that figure includes any share in the back-end profits from reruns of the program. 
 
 One of the people briefed on the deal said it was essentially agreed but it was unclear if it was complete and signed on Thursday evening. Spokesmen for CBS and Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc., declined to comment about Mr. Kutcher. 
 
 Mr. Kutcher's spokeswoman and agent could not be reached for comment. But Mr. Kutcher on Twitter late Thursday asked "what's the square root of 6.25?" in an apparent reference to the number in the title of "Men." 
 
 A spokesman for Mr. Sheen declined to comment. On Thursday, Mr. Sheen, who has been extremely vocal about the fate of the show and has publicly lobbied to return to his old role, posted a note to Twitter about an iPhone application, but did not make any reference to the program or Mr. Kutcher. 
 
 For the past several weeks Chuck Lorre, the show's co-creator, has been working on plans that would add a new character to the show, instead of recasting the role that has been played by Mr. Sheen, people familiar with the matter said earlier this week. 
 
 Earlier this week, British actor Hugh Grant had also been close to a deal a starring role in the show, but those talks fell apart, people familiar with the talks said at the time. 
 
 On Thursday evening, a person close to the deal described the addition of Mr. Kutcher as a "home run" because the actor is young and has experience in sitcoms. Mr. Kutcher appeared on "That '70s Show," on News Corp.'s Fox Broadcasting, until it ended in 2006. 
 
 Mr. Kutcher, who is married to actress Demi Moore, has also starred in several romantic comedies, including "No Strings Attached" with Natalie Portman and "Killers" with Katherine Heigel. 
 
 Talks with Mr. Kutcher were first reported Thursday by the trade publication Broadcasting & Cable. 
 
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 Write to Lauren A.E. Schuker at lauren.schuker@wsj.com and Sam Schechner at sam.schechner@wsj.com
– Ashton Kutcher is indeed Charlie Sheen's replacement on Two and a Half Men, both he and Warner Bros confirmed today, reports PopEater. And he will become a rich man—OK, richer man—for his efforts: TMZ says his base pay will be between $625,000 and $900,000 per episode, plus whatever he gets from reruns. The Wall Street Journal has him getting about $1 million per episode, but it's unclear whether that's just base pay. It's a princely sum, either way, but TMZ notes that it's less than Sheen's base pay of about $1.25 million per show. Kutcher's statement: "I can't wait to get to work with this ridiculously talented 2.5 team and I believe we can fill the stage with laughter that will echo in viewers' homes. I can't replace Charlie Sheen but I'm going to work my ass off to entertain the hell out of people!" Click to read more on the deal.