The ‘Hulkamania’ Biopic Starring Chris HemsworthThat Never Was

A biopic about wrestling icon Hulk Hogan was in development for years, with Chris Hemsworth attached to star. But despite the early momentum and interest from major Hollywood players, the project was never completed. Hogan, who died on Thursday, July 24 at age 71, confirmed that the film was ultimately derailed by contract issues.

First announced in 2019, the film was to be directed by Joker filmmaker Todd Phillips and written by Scott Silver, known for Joker and The Wolf of Wall Street. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film would be an "origin story of the Hulkster and Hulkamania," chronicling Hogan’s rise during the 1980s and '90s wrestling boom.

Chris Hemsworth was set to take on the role of Hogan. In a 2020 interview with Total Film (via Comic Book), Hemsworth shared his excitement:

“This movie is going to be a really fun project. As you can imagine, the preparation for the role will be insanely physical. I will have to put on more size than I ever have before, even more than I put on for Thor.”

He added that the transformation would go beyond muscle:

“There is the accent as well as the physicality and the attitude. I will also have to do a deep dive into the rabbit hole of the wrestling world, which I'm really looking forward to doing.”

Even in 2021, interest in the film seemed strong. Hogan posted a photo of Hemsworth’s bulky arms on Instagram, writing:

“My brother has that Hogan Pump on Jack, looks like he could slam Andre brother,” referring to wrestling legend Andre the Giant.

But in a 2024 appearance on the PDB Podcast, Hogan revealed the project had stalled for good.

“They kind of missed a beat in the contract,” Hogan said, agreeing when host Patrick Bet-David asked if Netflix was responsible. “There was a payment that wasn’t placed at the right time. The script was amazing.”

According to Hogan, screenwriter Scott Silver believed the script was among his best work.

“Scott Silver… said, ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever written.’ When I read it, I’m like, oh my god, this is really good.”

Hogan said the story was “very, very dark” and “probably what the public may want to see.” He also said there had been speculation that Hemsworth’s performance could have led to major award recognition:

“There was talk that Chris Hemsworth had never played a real person before and he could probably win an Oscar, this thing is so powerful.”

Todd Phillips confirmed the project's cancellation in a 2024 interview with Variety.

“I love what we were trying to do, but that’s not going to come together for me,” he said.

Though the biopic never came to life, Hulk Hogan had an extensive career in entertainment. He made his film debut in Rocky III as Thunderlips, and later starred in No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny. On television, he appeared in shows like Thunder in Paradise, Baywatch, and Hogan Knows Best.

He was also the subject of the 2017 Netflix documentary Nobody Speak, which focused on his legal battle against Gawker. The site had published a private video of Hogan without his consent. He later won a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, and Gawker was forced to sell its assets after declaring bankruptcy.

While the biopic is no longer moving forward, Hogan’s legacy as one of wrestling’s most recognizable figures and a fixture in pop culture remains firmly intact.