Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp is the leading choice to portray Playboy boss Hugh Hefner in a new biopic about the magazine publisher's extraordinary life.

Top producer Brian Grazer is working on a script for the project at Universal and Hefner reportedlty likes his choice for a lead.

"We've got a first draft of the screenplay, they've talked about Johnny Depp as a possibility," Hefner was quoted by Femalefirst, as saying.

"The first order of business is to finish the script and get a good director on board. I like Johnny Depp," he added.

However Hefner admits he's sorry the film wasn't made 20 or 30 years ago because he'd have loved James Stewart or Henry Fonda to portray him.