LOS ANGELES, CA — Robert Downey Jr. has been a very bad boy. In spite of his previous wicked ways, Hollywood is being very good to him these days and looks like it’s only going to be better. Already assured of some degree of job security thanks to an Iron Man sequel, Downey Jr. is the man whose name is most often on Hugh Hefner’s lips; at least when it comes to bio pix and who he’d like to see portray him on the big screen.After seeing Downey Jr. portray luxury and sensation loving Tony Stark during the enormously popular Iron Man, it’s not difficult to understand why the 82-year-old softcore magnate would be drawn to him. After all, if anyone lives the fantasy life of a social and sexual playboy better than Stark, he’s either another fictional character – or Hugh Hefner, himself.

According to numerous Hollywood film pundits, Hefner’s indecision about who would portray his younger self vanished after watching the superhero sensation and enjoying both his acting ability and his good humor.

Although a summer start has been suggested, an actual shooting schedule has not been determined. Nonetheless, the Chicago Sun Times reports that Downey Jr. is interested in the project but won’t make any promises until he’s seen a script and knows who will direct the Chicago-located tale. The paper claims that Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and American Gangster producer, Brian Grazer, has signed on.

A summer shooting schedule could pose problems for Downey, Jr., who is slated to begin work on Iron Man 2 sometime during 2009, with a 2010 release date currently planned.