Cape Town - Jared Leto has reportedly been cast as the late Hugh Hefner in an upcoming biopic to be directed by Brett Ratner.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is in early development and has been in the works since 2007.
It was initially set up by Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment. The rights were then bought by producer Jerry Weintraub (Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Thirteen) for Warner Bros. Following Weintraub's death in 2015 Ratner purchased the rights.
Of Leto's casting, Ratner told THR: "Jared is an old friend. When he heard I got the rights to Hef's story, he told me, 'I want to play him. I want to understand him.' And I really believe Jared can do it. He's one of the great actors of today."
Hugh Hefner died of natural causes at his home surrounded by family on Wednesday, 27 September. He was 91.