Hulk Hogan Warns Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Over Sex Tape Scandal Film, Legal Action Possible
Hulk Hogan, the legendary pro-wrestler, is once again prepared to enter the legal ring, this time with Hollywood icons Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The iconic duo has reportedly acquired the rights to produce a film based on Hogan’s infamous legal battle against Gawker, a scandal that shook the entertainment realm and brought the media company to its knees. The film, tentatively titled Killing Gawker, has already generated prominent buzz, but Hogan is making it clear that he won’t hesitate to take legal action if the project crosses the line.
Affleck and Damon are prominent for their collaborative successes in the film industry, and this new project seems poised to follow in the footsteps of their previous hits. Directed by Gus Van Sant, who worked with the duo on the critically acclaimed Good Will Hunting, Killing Gawker is molding up to be another Oscar contender. The screenplay, written by Charles Randolph, is based on Ryan Holiday’s book, Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue. Rumour mill is indicating that Affleck may even take on the role of Hogan himself, though this has yet to be confirmed.
Despite the excitement surrounding the film, sources close to Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, have reported that Hogan is taking a cautious approach. While Hogan has not been indulged in the film’s production and has yet to engage with Affleck and Damon directly, he remains ‘indifferent; about the project for now. However, Hogan’s history with litigation is well-documented, and insiders have revealed that he will ‘not hesitate’ to pursue legal actions if the film infringes on his court-approved privacy, as reported by Daily Mail.
This warning comes as no surprise, given Hogan’s fierce legal battle against Gawker that concluded in 2016. The lawsuit stemmed from the unauthorized release of a sex tape featuring Hogan and Heather Clem, the wife of his then-friend, radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge. The release of the video, which also contained a racial slur, led to a $141 million jury verdict in Hogan’s favor, effectively bankrupting Gawker. The case emphasized the tension between privacy rights and freedom of the press, especially after it was revealed that Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel had financially supported Hogan's legal battle.
As per ABC News, back then, In an interview, he said, "I was completely broken and destroyed and said, ‘What's the easiest way out of this?' I mean, I was lost. I'm not a racist but I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I'm embarrassed by it. People need to realize that you inherit things from your environment. And where I grew up was south Tampa, Port Tampa, and it was a really rough neighborhood, very low income. And all my friends, we greeted each other saying that word." Hogan recently married Sky Daily, and sources say he is enjoying newlywed life while also engaging in new business ventures, including a beer company.
