Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have officially pulled the plug on their planned Hulk Hogan biopic, though the decision was made long before the wrestling legend’s recent passing.
According to TMZ sources, the stars’ production company Artists Equity made the decision to cancel the project months ago, with the film having been out of development for some time. The timing of the announcement, coming after Hogan’s death last week, is purely coincidental.
Controversial Subject Matter
The planned biopic was set to focus on one of the most controversial chapters in Hogan’s life – the 2012 sex tape scandal involving the wrestler and his friend’s wife. The infamous footage, which was later released by Gawker Media, became the center of a massive legal battle and included racial slurs that severely damaged Hogan’s reputation.
Interestingly, Hogan himself was never involved in the movie project and had expressed opposition to it moving forward. Sources close to the wrestling icon had previously indicated he would pursue legal action if the filmmakers “crossed a line” with their portrayal.
Inside the Project
While Hogan remained distant from the production, Bubba the Love Sponge – whose wife was featured in the controversial tape – had shown interest in participating in the film. The project aimed to explore the complex legal and personal fallout from the scandal, including Hogan’s eventual lawsuit victory against Gawker.
The cancellation leaves the door open for other filmmakers to potentially tackle Hogan’s story in the future, though any such project would likely face similar legal and ethical challenges.
Hogan passed away last week at a Florida hospital after paramedics responded to his home, with tributes pouring in from across the wrestling and entertainment communities.