It’s often said there are only three types of narrative conflict: man against man, man against nature, and blog against Hulkamania. Throughout recorded history, these tales of struggles and the sexual exploits of an ’80s WWF superstar have been the basis for of all storytelling, man gathering ’round the fire to tell of kings fighting kings, heroes surviving the elements, and tabloid media groups battling the star of 1991’s Suburban Commando. And even today, that tradition continues, with now three films in the works that will tell the story of Hulk Hogan versus Gawker.
Red Sparrow and Hunger Games sequel director Francis Lawrence has reportedly signed on to helm an adaptation of the Ryan Holiday non-fiction Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue. This timeless tale, the modern day Beowulf, tells of Hogan’s epic battle with Gawker following their publication of a video featuring the hot-dog-skinned man porking his friend’s wife. The Big Short writer Charles Randolph is handling the script.
Arthur remake director Jason Winer is already working on a similar project with Gawker v. Thiel—Peter Thiel being the billionaire who, for his own political reasons, funded Hogan’s legal team. A documentary on the trial has also been made and picked up at Sundance by Netflix, promising it will stream online and spread its immutable saga to another generation of storytellers.
