Jared Leto to play Hugh Hefner???

Jared Leto is definitely one of the most adept actors in Hollywood having successfully played a transgender in his most brilliant role to date in Dallas Buyers Club and the Joker in Suicide Squad. Now the 45-year-old star will be facing another bold challenge.

On Tuesday, wasting no time at all, it was announced that the Louisiana born Leto will be playing legendary Playboy magazine publisher Hugh Hefner, who died on Wednesday at the age of 91.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news on just yesterday. The director will be Brett Ratner, 48, who is best known for the films Rush Hour, Hercules and Tower Heist.

The project is in early stages with Ratner's RatPac Entertainment. 

'Jared is an old friend,' said Ratner, 48.

'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.' 

The Hef movie has been bouncing around Hollywood for a while now. Producer Jerry Weintraub of Ocean's Eleven fame once wanted to do it.

But when he died in 2015, Ratner stepped in.

'My goal is to do the motion picture as an event,' said Ratner.

In April, Ratner invited Leto to the Playboy Mansion for the premiere of Amazon's docuseries American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story. They met with Hef's executive Dick Rosenzweig.

Leto was not able to meet Hefner at the event as he was not feeling well and did not meet guests.

But Ratner feels 'there's enough footage on Hef out there that Jared will be able to get as much information as he wants,' he said. 

So what do we think about this then, Leto as Hef? I'm not to sure! I love Leto, I really do his music and all, but I just don't see him suiting that role. I could be wrong and in all fairness I hope I am. We will see...