A new film based on the legal battle between WWE Hall of Famer Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) and Gawker is officially in development. Artists Equity, the production company of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, will produce the film, currently titled Kill Gawkers.
Hulkamania is set to hit the big screen, but not in the way fans expected. The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit reported in 2019 that a biopic about Hogan’s rise to wrestling fame was in the works. Hollywood superstar Chris Hemsworth is set to play the WWE Hall of Famer, and Oscar-nominated director Todd Philips is also rumored to be involved in development. However, in a recent interview with Screenrant on May 15, Hemsworth shared that nothing is official yet.
Although the biopic is still in limbo, the film based on Hogan’s courtroom drama is slowly taking shape. Mike Johnson of PWInsider revealed on August 2 that Kill Gawkers has been developed and Affleck could play the role of Hogan. In addition, it is reported that the project could start in January 2025.
Katcy Stephan of Variety confirmed on August 5 that the film is in the pipeline, adding that Gus Van Sant is set to direct. Van Sant famously worked with Affleck and Damon as director on the Oscar-nominated film. Hunting for good will.
Stephan reported that no casting has been finalized yet, but acknowledged that there are persistent rumors that Affleck will play the WWE Hall of Famer.
What is Bollea vs. Gawker?
The infamous legal battle began after the wrestling legend filed suit in 2012 and took the media company to court in 2016 for releasing portions of a sex tape featuring Hogan and the then-wife of his former friend Bubba The Love Sponge. It was alleged that Sponge filmed the intimate moment, which Hogan claimed he was unaware of and did not consent to. The incident occurred in 2006, but Gawker obtained footage of Hogan having sex and published an article about it on October 12, 2012.
On March 18, 2016, the jury ruled in Hogan’s favor and paid him $140 million, citing Gawker’s violation of the WWE legend’s privacy and causing her emotional distress. The media company faced problems, including bankruptcy, and was sold to Univision for $135 million. Gawker and Hogan settled for more than $31 million, and the website was eventually shut down entirely.
It will be interesting to see how much Kill Gawkers will report on it when the film hits the screen.
