David Farnor | On 21, Feb 2019

Chris Hemsworth is set to play Hulk Hogan in a new Netflix movie.

The biopic, which THR announced today, will see Marvel’s God of Thunder become a muscle-bound superstar of another kind, stepping into the wrestling wring for the 80s and 90s icon.

Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan started out in Florida’s wrestling circuit in the 70s before eventually joining the World Wrestling Federation, where his moves won him fandom worldwide. Hulkmania, as it was known, led to movie roles, TV projects, video games, sponsorship and endorsements and more. Starting out as Andre the Giant’s villainous counterpart, he grew into a WWF hero, even getting his own morning TV cartoon.

More recently, he’s been known for a scandal involving a sex tape and a lengthy ensuing legal case involving Gawker, which was covered in detail in a Netflix-acquired documentary, Nobody Speak. This new biopic, THR notes, will steer clear of those years, instead focusing on the rise of The Hulkster.

The biopic will be directed by Todd Phillips and written by Scott Silver, the duo behind DC Comics’ new movie about The Joker. John Pollono (Stronger) joins them as co-writer. Producing will be Michael Sugar through his Sugar23 banner, which has a first look deal at Netflix, plus Phillips and Bradley Cooper, who will produce via their own Joint Effort. Hemsworth will also produce, alongside Eric Bischoff.

The deal for Hogan’s life rights reportedly took months to close, with Bollea acting as a consultant on the movie as well as an executive producer.

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