Hulk Hogan Reveals Why His Planned Biopic Failed
Big news hit the wrestling world recently when Hulk Hogan shared the real story behind his failed biopic. The project, which had been in the works for years, was set to bring the legendary wrestler’s life to the big screen with some major Hollywood talent attached. But after a long wait, it’s officially off the table, and Hogan’s finally talking about what went wrong.
The biopic was a hot topic when it was first announced back in 2019. Chris Hemsworth, the guy we all know as Thor from the Marvel movies, was tapped to play Hogan. Meanwhile, Todd Phillips, the director behind ‘Joker’ and ‘The Hangover,’ was lined up to steer the ship. It sounded like a dream team, and I was pretty excited to see how they’d tackle Hogan’s wild journey from wrestling icon to pop culture giant. The script came from Scott Silver, who also wrote ‘Joker,’ and Hogan himself had a hand in shaping it over three years of back-and-forth.
So why did it all fall apart? Hogan spilled the details on the PBD Podcast. Turns out, it came down to a messy situation with Netflix, the studio backing the film. They missed a key payment deadline, which threw the whole contract into chaos. Hogan saw his chance and pulled out, taking his life rights elsewhere. He didn’t want to stick around for a project that was already stumbling before it even got going.
What’s interesting is how much Hogan loved the script. He called it ‘amazing’ and said Silver thought it was his best work ever. The story was dark, diving deep into Hogan’s wrestling days and ending right before he turned heel and joined WCW as Hollywood Hogan. It wasn’t going to shy away from the gritty stuff, which Hogan figured might be exactly what we’d want to see. He even thought Hemsworth could snag an Oscar for it, since it’d be his first shot at playing a real person instead of a comic book hero.
Hogan’s career is the stuff of legends. Born Terry Gene Bollea, he rose to fame in the 1980s with the WWF—now WWE—becoming the face of ‘Hulkamania.’ His larger-than-life persona, complete with the blond mustache and red-and-yellow gear, made him a household name. He headlined the first WrestleMania in 1985 and stuck around until 1993, then jumped to WCW where he led the infamous nWo faction. Beyond wrestling, he popped up in movies like ‘Rocky III’ and ‘No Holds Barred,’ though his acting gigs never quite hit the same heights as his ring success.
The biopic wasn’t the only Hogan project in town, though. There’s still ‘Killing Gawker’ in the works, produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. That one’s focused on Hogan’s legal battle with Gawker Media over a leaked sex tape, a saga that ended with a huge settlement and the site’s shutdown. Affleck might even play Hogan, with Gus Van Sant directing. It’s a different vibe from the canceled film, zeroing in on a single chapter rather than his whole wrestling story.
Hogan’s got mixed feelings about how he’s remembered. He worried the biopic’s dark take might be the last thing people tie to his name, leaving him stuck with a heavy legacy. Pulling out gave him some control back, and he’s open to revisiting the idea—maybe as a TV series with more balance. For now, though, the Hemsworth-Phillips version is toast, and we’re left wondering what could’ve been.
It’s a bummer to see such a promising film collapse, especially with that kind of talent behind it. Hogan’s life has enough twists—steroid scandals, lawsuits, and all—to fill a blockbuster. Maybe someday we’ll get the full story on screen, but for now, it’s back to the archives to relive the Hulkamania days.