A decade ago, Chris Hemsworth was a relatively unknown actor in the United States, but a lot can change in 10 years. Best known for playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he’s also made a name for himself with movies like Ghostbusters, 12 Strong and Bad Times at the El Royale. Now Hemsworth is jumping into the biopic realm, as he’s been tapped to play wresting icon Hulk Hogan under the direction of Joker’s Todd Phillips.
Director Todd Phillips is reuniting with writer Scott Silver for a Hulk Hogan biopic, with deals closing for it to screen on Netflix. Silver will co-write the script with Stronger’s John Pollano. Rather than try to cover Hogan’s whole life, the movie will focus on his rise in the wrestling world and is described by THR as “an origin story of the Hulkster and Hulkamania.” It is not expected to delve into the more recent events in his life, such as the sex tape scandal that resulted in a lawsuit being filed against the now-defunct Gawker. Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, will act as a consultant on the movie and be an executive producer.
Chances are that even if you’re not that familiar with pro wresting, you’ve heard the name Hulk Hogan. Having kicked off his wresting career in the late 1970s, during which time he frequently went up against Andre the Giant in the WWF, the 1980s saw Hogan becoming one of the biggest wresting stars in the world, to the point that he eventually became the face of the WWF. His wrestling accomplishments include being a six-time WWF champion and a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
In addition to his wrestling exploits, Hulk Hogan has also built a movie and TV resume over the decades. Rocky fans will remember his brief appearance as Thunderlips in Rocky III, and during the height of his wrestling fame, Hogan starred in movies like No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny. Last decade, he led his own VH1 reality series called Hogan Knows Best, which centered on his family life, and he’s also lent his voice to Gnomeo & Juliet and episodes of American Dad! and Robot Chicken.
As for Chris Hemsworth, it’s ironic that as he’s about to make his eighth appearance as Thor in the MCU (it remains to be seen if Avengers: Endgame will be Hemsworth’s last time playing the God of Thunder), he’s cast to play a different kind of Hulk. He certainly has the physique to pull it off, though I wonder if he can come anywhere close to pulling off Hogan’s brand of manic energy. Assuming this biopic ends up on Netflix, and depending on what kind of tone it goes for, this could end up being one of the more unique movie offerings on the streaming platform.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on how this Hulk Hogan biopic is coming along. In the meantime, you can see Chris Hemsworth on the big screen again when Avengers: Endgame drops on April 26, followed by Men in Black: International on June 14.
