The Gawker v. Hulk Hogan story is getting the big screen treatment, and it looks like the project is assembling a pretty good crew to spearhead the film. According to reports, filmmaker Francis Lawrence (“Red Sparrow” and three of the four “Hunger Games” films) has been signed on to direct a film based on the novel “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue,” which details the recent case that resulted in Gawker going bankrupt and Hulk Hogan becoming an even more wealthy man, all thanks to Peter Thiel.
“When I read Ryan’s extraordinary book I was totally taken with this story, such an exquisitely contemporary tale, and I immediately had a vision for it as a film. It’s an important and meaningful story, and one I’m excited to tell. I’m thrilled to come aboard and to work with this team,” said Lawrence in a statement.
Also attached to the upcoming film is Charles Randolph, who is an Oscar winner for his work penning the script for “The Big Short.” All that’s left is the cast, and according to the report, it appears that the studio is interested in filling up the roster with A-list talent, particularly for the roles of the three main parties involved – Peter Thiel, Gawker’s Nick Denton, and Hulk Hogan.
While getting actors to play Thiel and Denton should be fairly simple, Hogan has such an iconic look and size that it’ll be interesting to see who they cast as the former wrestler. And will this actor have to mimic the signature Hogan voice? Not trying to be funny or anything, but if the wrong actor is chosen for the role, it could come off as comical, which is most definitely not the tone of the story the filmmakers want to tell.
This film, based on ‘Conspiracy,’ isn’t the only Gawker/Hogan film in development. We reported earlier this year that “Modern Family” director Jason Winer was circling a film based on the subject. Maybe we’ll have twin Gawker films in the future.
There’s no release date set for the film.