Tom Hiddleston to play porn baron

Tom Hiddleston is set to play porn baron Paul Raymond, known as the King of Soho, in a new film.

Another film about the London porn king is already in production, starring Steve Coogan, but Raymond's son Howard told the Daily Mail he has just cast the star of Avengers Assemble and War Horse in the big screen adaptation of his book about his father, called The King Of Soho.

Howard said: "You can't imagine how delighted I am by this - chuffed to bits. 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.

"We have a great script and some time in the next year we will be going into production."

Howard is not happy about the rival project, currently titled The King Of Soho, directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Coogan, which is based on Paul Willet's biography, Paul Raymond's Wonderful World Of Erotica.

He revealed he has contacted his lawyers and dismissed the other film as a comedy spoof.

Howard said: "It will be like chalk and cheese. We call it Carry On Up Old Compton Street."

The rival film, already in production, also stars Anna Friel, Imogen Poots and Tamsin Egerton as Raymond's wife Jean, a former show dancer, his daughter Debbie and his mistress, vicar's daughter gone bad Fiona Richmond.

It also features cameos from comedians including Chris Addison and Dara O'Briain.