In the world of cinema, the number and magnitude of controversies one is tangled in are directly proportional to the possibility of the individual becoming the subject of a biopic in the future. That was the logic that brought plans for a Hulk Hogan biopic by Netflix, starring Chris Hemsworth in the titular role, into existence, but evidently, it was not enough to keep the momentum going.
The film was first announced way back in 2019, with writer John Pollono and The Joker director Todd Philips attached to the project, with Hemsworth roped in to play the famed grappler. The preparations began in high spirits, with the Thor star enthusiastically sharing in 2020 (via Total Film) that while he hadn’t received a script at the time, he was aware that it was being written. All he was focusing on was delving into the world of wrestling and embodying the Hulkster himself.
“I’m just fascinated by that world, and I think they’re pretty keen to show a side of the world that people haven’t seen before. I’m as intrigued as you are. 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. There is the accent as well as the physicality and the attitude.”
Hogan himself had not only given the actor his blessing, but has also been pretty certain about Hemsworth’s ability to play him to the T in the biopic. In 2021, the actor shared a final picture from the sets of the eternally flawed Thor: Love and Thunder and flaunted his ripped massive arms. Soon, Hogan re-posted the same picture, singing the Extraction star’s praises and marveling at his physique.
So, with such positive responses following the film’s announcement, why it has been MIA for so long now?
Is the Hulk Hogan biopic starring Chris Hemsworth still happening?
For a while, the only worrying factor was the part about Hemsworth being the only star attached to the project when Hogan’s life story plays witness to many other renowned names. But then, Pollono revealed to ScreenRant in 2021 that while the script of the film is apparently being sent to “people,” it couldn’t be shot at the time as it wasn’t a “COVID-friendly movie” given how many scenes would need “30,000 people in the crowds.”
But even after Hollywood broke through the barricades put in place by the pandemic, the biopic remained in a state of suspension, as Hemsworth shared in a chat with ComicBook.com that the film is a “while away.”
“That’s sort of in the development stage you know, and if that comes to fruition, great. [Director] Todd Phillips is brilliant. Haven’t ripped any shirts off yet, but you’ll be the first to hear about it when I do.”
Sadly, that air of uncertainty around the biopic is here to stay as in 2023, when the actor sat down for an interview with Chris Van Vliet for Extraction 2, he reported that he doesn’t know what is happening with the film currently and development around it has dwindled to mere “conversations,” as Phillips and Hemsworth focused on their other respective projects.
What was left of the flickering hope was recently dunked into a hazy possibility of a future as Hogan has revealed that his biopic is no longer a Netflix project and apart from the script of the film (which somehow lost Pollono and found Scott Silver as its scribe along the way), none of the original plans are intact.
“My life rights and stuff are somewhere else now and there’s a lot of things that are getting ready to happen. Hopefully, Todd Phillips and Chris Hemsworth will still want to play, there’s still a huge opportunity there. Even before we get into this, I said, if anyone played Hulk Hogan, I’d want it to be Chris Hemsworth.”
Will the Hulk Hogan biopic ever see the light of day, even though Hemsworth doesn’t seem to be officially attached to the project but is still the wrestler’s favorite to play the character? Even if this original setup does go forward and the film is not shelved amid all the chaos, it would be a long while before it gets any kind of traction, given the fact that both Hemsworth and Phillips — who is now focusing on Joker: Folie à Deux — have tall to-do lists of their own to complete before diving into a project that needs a lot more than a script that may or may not be final.
