A captivating feature film centered on Hulk Hogan's epic legal showdown with Gawker Media is brewing at Artists Equity, the esteemed production house helmed by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter. The company has acquired the screenplay for "Killing Gawker," penned by Oscar-winning scribe Charles Randolph, who crafted the masterful "The Big Short" in 2015. This adaptation delves into Ryan Holiday's gripping 2018 nonfiction tome, "Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue."
At the helm of this anticipated project, Gus Van Sant, the visionary director who previously steered Damon and Affleck to Oscar glory with "Good Will Hunting," is in negotiations to direct "Killing Gawker." Affleck has been rumored to embody the role of Hogan, the wrestling legend whose real name is Terry Bollea, though casting decisions remain in flux.
In a landmark settlement in November 2016, Gawker Media conceded to a staggering $31 million payout to Hogan, settling a sex tape lawsuit ignited by the publication of a compromising video snippet. The case revolved around a 2012 article featuring footage captured six years prior, ultimately leading to Gawker's website closure.
Enter Peter Thiel, the billionaire tech mogul and PayPal co-founder, who played a pivotal role in financing Hogan's legal crusade and is poised to be a central figure in the film's narrative.
Affleck and Damon's creative partnership continues to flourish, having previously collaborated on Amazon's biographical triumph "Air," also produced by Artists Equity. In 2023, Affleck directed and co-starred in the film, which featured Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike executive who orchestrated a game-changing partnership with budding NBA superstar Michael Jordan.
Van Sant, whose directorial prowess has earned him Oscar nods for "Good Will Hunting" and "Milk," recently helmed the Amazon Studios film "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot," starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jonah Hill. With such a talented team at the forefront, "Killing Gawker" promises to be a gripping tale of legal battles, celebrity scandals, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
