Hugh Hefner movie sashays closer with director David Dobkin

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/dec/19/hugh-hefner-movie-biopic-david-dobkin

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Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is to have his life story told in a biopic to be directed by Wedding Crashers' David Dobkin, it has been announced.

The 87-year-old magazine publisher and dedicated party host has seen studio Warner Bros pick up the project, after Universal failed to make sufficient headway and let it go. Dobkin, considered a proficient maker of brash comedies who has Shanghai Knights ad The Change-Up on his CV as well as Wedding Crashers, will direct a script by Peter Morgan, of Frost/Nixon and The Damned United renown.

Hefner founded Playboy magazine in 1953 and subsequently became a leading figure in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, as well as turning Playboy into a powerful multimedia brand. He tweeted last year about meeting with Morgan to discuss the script.

Dobkin is expected to begin work on the film after finishing his legal thriller The Judge, which stars Robert Downey Jr – who coincidentally was one of the early favourites to play Hefner. No details yet have emerged as to who will actually don the silk pajamas.

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