Diablo Cody Writing The Playboy Movie?

I can see how Brett Ratner and Hugh Hefner would go together like compact mirrors and rolled up banknotes, and Robert Downey Jr. can easily sit at the same table with me only feeling a vague sense of disappointment and not weird awkardness but... Diablo Cody? The Hef himself has this week had a meeting with Cody "to talk about the Brian Grazer Playboy film". Would I ever be able to look at that credits roll without singing "One of these kids is doing their own thing"?

The news came from one of Hefner's tweets (found via Cinematical). Telling, the tweet-happy Ms. Cody has not said a word. We can safely assume this is far from a done deal. But is it a good idea?

Hell yeah. In fact, this is the first thing I've heard about this project since its very inception that has engendered any interest from me at all. A feminist take on that crusty old misogynist? I only hope the internets aren't going to jinx Cody's chances by making that observation or others like it.

We've previously reported how Ratner is no longer formerly attached to the Playboy film, and Hefner did identify it via producer, not director, but Ratner does still seem a likely candidate to me. It may be a question of timing, with Ratner formerly stepping down to take on Beverly Hills Cop 4. If there's a new writer being sought, however, there's a good chance that the schedule will once again allow Ratner's involvement.

Talking of Beverly Hills Cop 4, if we must, there's been some new discussion of the picture at an advertising conference. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ratner was there to reveal how he's planning to load the film with product placement. That's just why he's so gosh-darn popular round these parts, isn't it?

Ratner argued that forcing a soda bottle into a movie scene makes it seem like a prop and doesn't have any branding effect because viewers will block it out. "It must be a character embedded in the story," he said, recounting how he absolutely wanted a Porsche 928 as a younger man because it played a key role in "Risky Business."

The director also told the audience about the work of his firm Brett Ratner Brands, saying it too, tries to combine "creativity and connectivity" in an organic way.

The only bit of Cop news in the story, really, is that Eddie Murphy will drive a car in the movie. I guess we'll have to wait a while to find out if he'll hold a gun, laugh like a braying donkey or stick a banana up Judge Reinhold's tail pipe.