What Hulk Hogan Thinks of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Gawker Film

A movie detailing Hulk Hogan’s legal battle with Gawker is in the works, but don’t expect the legendary retired pro wrestler to have a voice in its development.

Hogan, 71, wants to distance himself from the upcoming film, titled Killing Gawker, a source tells Us Weekly exclusively. Artists Equity, the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck-founded production company, announced the project in August. The movie will be based on Ryan Holiday’s book, “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue.”

“He wants nothing to do with the Ben and Matt movie, he is not involved,” the source said.

The movie is expected to chronicle the $140 million case Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, won against Gawker Media in 2016 that led to the media outlet filing for bankruptcy and ceasing operations.

Hogan sued Gawker in 2013 over a sex tape the site published featuring Hogan and Heather Clem, the then-wife of shock-jock Bubba the Love Sponge, shot five years before it was posted. The wrestler argued that Gawker violated his privacy, causing him emotional distress. Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel spent $10 million financing the lawsuit as retaliation for a 2007 Gawker story that outed him as gay.

Affleck, 52, is rumored to be portraying Hogan in the movie, though the cast has yet to be announced.

“He didn’t cooperate with the book this movie is based on so doesn’t want anything do with it and he doesn’t care who plays him,” the source added. “It was a monumental part of his life and wants it all behind him as he’s moved on and it’s behind him.”

Lately, Hogan’s attention has been elsewhere. He spent Wednesday, September 11 touring liquor stores in Massachusetts to promote his new Real American Beer brand. He launched the brand in June in Tampa, Florida, located near his Clearwater home, where he lives with wife Sky Daily. The two became engaged in July 2023 and tied the knot last September.

“He’s focusing on his Real American Beer in Tampa and it’s going great,” the source said. “He’s a newlywed and happily married Sky.”

Artists Equity, meanwhile, launched in 2022, releasing its first movie, Air, about the origin of the Air Jordan shoe line at Nike, the following year. Its most recent release, heist comedy movie The Instigator, opened August 2 to mixed reviews. In addition to Killing Gawker, Artists Equity is also working on The Accountant 2, the sequel to Affleck’s 2016 hit thriller.