The scandal in which Hulk Hogan had a legal battle with Gawker will be turned into a movie.
Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, filed a lawsuit against the media outlet in 2013 before a verdict was given three years later after the legendary wrestler went after Gawker for posting portions of his sex tape. The lawsuit was against Gawker, several employees, and the company’s affiliates.
A portion of that tape revealed racist remarks that Hogan made, leading to WWE splitting ways with him at the time. The tape was secretly recorded years prior. The jury voted in Hogan’s favor, leading to Gawker being found liable, and he was given over $120 million in damages.
Gawker shut down operations only to relaunch in July 2021 under the ownership of Bustle Digital Group after its founder and CEO, Bryan Goldberg, bought the website for $1.35 million in a 2018 bankruptcy auction. It was then shut down again in February 2023.
Variety reports that Artists Equity, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production company, has purchased the rights to the screenplay, written by Charles Randolph, that is based on Ryan Holiday’s book “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue.” The project is in development.
Artists’ Equity was part of “Air,” “Kiss the Future,” “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” and Cillian Murphy’s “Small Things Like These.”
