Rumor has it that Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers) is set to play the lead role in an upcoming biopic about Soho porn baron Paul Raymond, based on the book The King of Soho, written by Paul's son Howard. The film already has a rival production covering the same material, starring British comedian Steve Coogan (The Trip) and Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) that began filming earlier this year.

Hiddleston, the Eton-educated actor who has not been out of sight much in the last few years with roles in high-profile films like Thor, Midnight in Paris and War Horse, may seem an odd choice to play Raymond, but hit the jump on why he may just be the perfect fit (and why fangirls everywhere are already swooning at the thought).

Hiddleston's next project, The Hollow Crown, a tetralogy of Shakespeare's history plays airing on the BBC this summer, could not be further from the subject of The King of SoHo, but the Daily Mail reports that Howard Raymond is "chuffed" by the rumored casting. "‘We’ve waited a long time to get the right person and in Tom we finally have. It’s a difficult role, not because he is playing my father but because he is in every scene in the film" (every scene in the film, ladies. Every. blessed. scene).

Paul Raymond replaced the Duke of Westminster in 1992 for the title of Britain's richest man. Among his various eccentricities, he claimed to have never read a book in his entire life and was in his youth involved in a mind-reading act.  As for the the so-called rival project, Howard dismissed it by calling it a carry-on spoof.  "We call it Carry On Up Old Compton Street," he said.

No word yet if Loki's Army of Hiddlestoners on Tumblr have collectively imploded from the news.