Summary
- Todd Phillips suggests Chris Hemsworth’s Hulk Hogan biopic is officially dead.
- Hemsworth’s biopic would have avoided Hogan’s legal battle, while
Killing Gawker
will focus solely on it. -
Killing Gawker
offers a more promising narrative compared to Hemsworth’s traditional Hulk Hogan origin story.
Chris Hemsworth’s delayed Hulk Hogan biopic receives a definitive update from director Todd Phillips. Netflix’s biopic about the legendary professional wrestler was first announced in 2019 with Hemsworth starring and Phillips directing, the latter reuniting with his Joker co-writer Scott Silver. However, despite development for several years, Hemsworth’s Hulk Hogan biopic has failed to make any significant progress and was delayed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Now, after multiple delays, the movie has received a definitive update from its director. During an interview with Variety, Phillips seemed to suggest that Hemsworth’s Hulk Hogan biopic is officially dead, with the publication confirming that he won’t be tackling the project. “I love what we were trying to do, but that’s not going to come together for me,” he says.
Why It’s Best That Chris Hemsworth’s Biopic Is Dead
A Better Biopic Is In The Works
While Hogan is arguably the most famous professional wrestler of all time, the latter portion of his life has been marred by personal conflicts and issues that have overshadowed his career inside the ring. This includes a sex tape scandal involving the wife of a friend and radio personality, which led to a lengthy legal battle that ultimately resulted in the downfall of Gawker and a multimillion-dollar settlement for Hogan. Instead of exploring those years, Hemsworth’s Hulk Hogan movie was said to be an origin story that focused on the rise of Hulkmania.
Though Phillips and Hemsworth’s biopic is seemingly dead, another Hulk Hogan movie, titled Killing Gawker, was announced earlier this month. The film is produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck‘s production banner, Artists Equity, and will be helmed by Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant. While it’s been rumored that Affleck will play Hulk Hogan, no casting has been announced at this time. The biopic is based on the book Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue and is being adapted by Charles Randolph.
Related
Ben Affleck’s New Hulk Hogan Movie Is Already More Exciting Than Chris Hemsworth’s
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are producing a movie about Hulk Hogan that already looks more exciting than the biopic starring Chris Hemsworth.
While Phillips and Hemsworth’s biopic would have completely avoided Hogan’s infamous legal battle, Killing Gawker is focusing solely on it, so it’s good that the former isn’t moving forward, and the latter is. Killing Gawker is simply a superior story to a traditional Hulk Hogan origin story, offering a raw, unfiltered depiction of the wrestling icon. With Hemsworth’s Hulk Hogan biopic seemingly shelved for good, the focus can now shift to a much more promising project in Killing Gawker.
Source: Variety
