Hulk Hogan dies: Revisit Chris Hemsworth's scrapped biopic about wrestler
What's the story
The recent death of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has sent shockwaves through the world of professional wrestling and beyond. The towering blonde man, who ruled the '80s and '90s, was instrumental in transforming wrestling into a billion-dollar global industry. He also made his presence felt in cinema with roles in films like Rocky III. Years before his death, a biopic about his life was set to star Chris Hemsworth, but it was scrapped due to a payment error by Netflix.
Casting news
Hemsworth's casting and preparations for the role
In 2019, filmmaker Todd Phillips announced a biopic on Hogan's life with Hemsworth in the lead role. Despite concerns about Hemsworth's physicality for the role, Hogan was reportedly happy with the casting. The actor had even planned to dye his hair and mustache blond for this part. In a 2020 interview with Total Film, he said he would have to put on more size than he ever had before for this role.
Production halted
Biopic's unfortunate cancellation
By 2021, the film was still moving forward, but there were no updates or shooting schedules. The project was finally scrapped when Hogan revealed that Netflix had made a payment error. "They kind of missed a beat in the contract," Hogan said, adding that Scott Silver, who wrote the script for Joker, called it "the best thing I've ever written." Later in 2024, Phillips confirmed the news to Variety.
Wrestling legend
Hogan's wrestling career and achievements
Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan began wrestling in 1977 but became a pop culture icon during his days at WWE (then WWF) starting in 1985. He headlined WrestleMania eight times in its first nine years, becoming WWF's biggest face and selling millions of merchandise. In the '90s, he became a staple in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as a memorable heel (villain). A 12-time world champion, Hogan also starred in several movies.