Hold onto your feather boas and legal briefs, folks! The colossal court case that left the media world shaken is getting the Hollywood treatment. None other than Academy Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant is in talks to helm the movie adaptation of Hulk Hogan’s legendary lawsuit against Gawker Media. Titled “Killing Gawker,” this courtroom drama promises more twists and turns than a WWE pay-per-view.
According to Deadline, the powerhouse production studio Artists Equity, founded by Tinseltown titans Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, is behind this upcoming film. Van Sant, who first teamed up with Affleck and Damon for the critically acclaimed “Good Will Hunting,” is reportedly ready to dive into the legal brawl that saw Hulkamania run wild in the courtroom. Van Sant earned Oscar nods for his directorial work on “Good Will Hunting” and “Milk,” and now he’s set to bring his A-game to this legal smackdown.
Based on Ryan Holliday’s riveting book “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue,” the movie will chronicle the epic 2013 lawsuit where Hulk Hogan sought damages from Gawker Media for publishing snippets of a sex tape starring the wrestling icon and Heather Clem, estranged wife of Hogan’s pal Bubba The Love Sponge. After a three-year legal grudge match, Hogan scored a jaw-dropping $140 million victory in 2016.
But the plot thickens! Hogan didn’t quite get to cash in that giant check as Gawker and its founder Nick Denton tapped out, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In a dramatic twist, the parties settled out of court, and Hogan walked away with $31 million. The initial article and tape clips? Deleted faster than a heel’s Twitter rant.
And here’s a casting bombshell: PWInsider suggests Affleck and Damon might step into the ring themselves, playing Hulk Hogan and billionaire backer Peter Thiel, respectively. Imagine the cinematic magic when Boston’s finest tackle one of the most sensational legal dramas of our time.
So, get ready for a blockbuster that promises to slam legal drama and Hollywood glitz together in the most spectacular way possible. “Killing Gawker” is gearing up to be the must-see film that will have you on the edge of your seat, brother!