The legal drama between Hulk Hogan and Gawker is set to be adapted into a film.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, took legal action against the media company in 2013, and after a lengthy trial, a decision was reached three years later. He sued Gawker for sharing parts of his private sex tape, targeting the company, its employees, and its affiliates.
The tape included some racist comments made by Hogan, which resulted in WWE cutting ties with him at that time. This tape was recorded years earlier without his knowledge. Ultimately, the jury ruled in favor of Hogan, awarding him over $120 million in damages after finding Gawker liable.
Gawker ceased operations but returned in July 2021 when Bustle Digital Group’s CEO, Bryan Goldberg, acquired it for $1.35 million during a bankruptcy auction in 2018. However, it was shut down again in February 2023.
According to Variety, Artists Equity, the production company founded by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, has secured the rights to a screenplay by Charles Randolph, which is inspired by Ryan Holiday’s book “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue.” The film is currently in development.
Artists’ Equity has also been involved in projects like “Air,” “Kiss the Future,” “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” and Cillian Murphy’s “Small Things Like These.”