The long-anticipated Hulk Hogan biopic, which was set to star the 'Thor' actor, has been shelved due to various factors, including business issues and Hogan's controversial past.
- August 22, 2024
AceShowbiz - The Hulk Hogan biopic, once set to star Marvel's Thor, Chris Hemsworth, has been officially scrapped. The film, which had been in various stages of development since at least 2019 with "Joker" director Todd Phillips at the helm, will not be materializing.
During a recent interview ahead of the release of "Joker: Folie a Deux", Phillips confirmed the grim news, saying, "I love what we were trying to do, but that's not going to come together for me."
The project's end appears to have been precipitated by a series of setbacks, most notably a "business glitch" with Netflix, which was initially slated to produce the movie. Hulk Hogan himself shed light on the issue during an interview with Chris Van Vliet, stating, "It was a situation where business-wise, Netflix kind of missed the date as far as a business situation." As a result, Hogan elected to move on.
Speculation has also circled around the impact of Hogan's controversial past on the project's viability. Hogan has faced numerous public scandals, including making racially insensitive comments, which has undoubtedly tarnished his image.
In a troubling incident that surfaced in 2015, a 2008 audio clip revealed Hogan using racial slurs. This ultimately led to his release from WWE and significant public backlash, including recent criticism connected to comments about U.S. presidential nominee Kamala Harris' heritage.
While disappointing for fans, another Hulk Hogan-centric project remains in the pipeline. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Artists Equity Production Company has picked up a screenplay titled "Killing Gawker", which will explore the storied legal battle between Hogan and Gawker Media. Based on Ryan Holiday's book "Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue". this new film has the potential to bring the high-stakes courtroom drama to the big screen.
The script for "Killing Gawker" will be written by Charles Randolph, famed for "The Big Short". This film focuses on the 2012 case where Hogan sued Gawker Media for publishing a clip of a sex tape, resulting in a significant $31 million settlement.
