Just days after Amazon Studios released their docu-drama seriesAmerican Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story, the Playboy Magazine founder’s life story will be heading to the big screen.Brett Ratnerand his company RatPac Entertainment have acquired the rights toHugh Hefner’s life story for a currently untitled biopic, which will be a co-production between RatPac and Playboy/Alta Loma Entertainment. Here’s whatHugh Hefnerhimself had to say about this biopic coming to fruition.
“In recent years there has been plenty of interest and much conversation about doing a feature film based on my life. I have always believed that when the timing was truly right, the perfect creative partners would come together for this project. I believe we’ve found those partners inBrett Ratnerand RatPac Entertainment. I’m very much looking forward to this collaboration.”
This is actually the second timeBrett Ratnerhas tried to make a movie based onHugh Hefner’s life. Way back in June 2007,Brett Ratnersigned on to direct a project simply titledPlayboy, withJohn Hoffman(Looking) writing the screenplay and Imagine Entertainment producing for Universal Pictures.Robert Downey Jr.andHugh Jackmanwere being eyed to star, withScott Silver(8 Mile) andDiablo Cody(Juno) coming aboard to work on the script at different points, before Universal ultimately dropped the project, with Warner Bros. picking it up, settingPeter Morganto write the script. Here’s whatBrett Ratnerhad to say about the project that he ultimately bought back, in a statement toDeadline.
“Hugh Hefnerstarted a sexual revolution from behind the walls of his legendary mansion by using the pages of Playboy Magazine an his own infamous lifestyle to build a global empire that included publishing, clubs, casinos and television networks. I thought it was such a brilliant idea (whenGrazerfirst got the rights) that I sent Brian a Playboy pinball machine from that 70s.Scott Silverwrote a script but they could never crack it and then I told Brian there was nobody better for this than me. And then I spent years unable to crack it, as a straight drama, or as a musical. Finally,Diablo Codypitched a take that seemed promising, but Universal let it go andJerry Weintrauband Warner Bros grabbed it. And they couldn’t crack it either. In the meantime, I went from a seller to a buyer and I’m relieved to have it back so that we can develop it without the impatience from studios.”
Brett Ratnerwill be setting a writer on the project, which is said to followHugh Hefnerfrom being raised in a strict Methodist household, to becoming the icon of a sexual revolution. While he’s best known for his hedonistic lifestyle in the iconic Playboy Mansion,Hugh Hefnerwas left devastated when his first wife admitted that she cheated on him while he was away fighting in World War II. Long after his Playboy empire was established, he married former PlaymateKimberly Conradin 1989, until their divorce in 2010. He married his third wife, another former Playmate,Crystal Hefnerin 2012. Here’s whatBrett Ratnerhad to say aboutHugh Hefnerin another statement.
“Whether young people today read or care about Playboy, this was a guy who had a dream and changed the world. Hefner cared about civil rights, women’s rights, the preservation of the arts, jazz…his magazine featured interviews with important leaders from Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. And with one stroke of genius he changed sexuality in America.”
Brett Ratnerwill produce thisHugh Hefner BiopicwithJohn Cheng, withHugh Hefnerexecutive producing along withDick RosenzweigandPeter Jaysen. There has been no production start date given for thisupcoming biopic, which doesn’t have a director attached either, withBrett Ratneronly attached to produce.Brett Ratnerhasn’t directed a film since 2014’sHercules, but he has been keeping plenty busy as a producer onThe Revenant,War DogsandRules Don’t Applyon the big screen, along with theRush HourTV series and the newPrison Breakrevival.
