The ever-suave social activist and founder of Playboy magazine, who sold the rights to his life story several years ago, has recently given the green-light to a film version.  Directed by Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, Rush Hour), the movie will focus on all major aspects of Hef’s life: his humble upbringing; his advocacy for free speech; a near-death experience in the 1980s; and, of course, his rampant sexual exploits.

Brain Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code) is set to produce the film, and a script is already in the works, though the writer has yet to be announced.

I can only ask myself, “What took so long?”  The man has been a social icon for decades, has sex (presumably all day) with beautiful women, and speaks out against censorship — this has “movie” written all over it.  Hopefully, the filmmakers weren’t just waiting for him to die, because there’s something they should know: Hugh Hefner is a bona fide superhero, and he’s not going anywhere.

The obvious second question that remains in my mind is, “Who will play Hugh?”  My vote is for Greg Kinnear.  Or how about Vincent Gallo?  That’d be interesting.