Today, it was reported that wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has pᴀssed away. The cultural icon, who was said to have suffered a cardiac arrest, was 71 years old.

Looking back, there’s no denying that Hulk Hogan enjoyed an illustrious career that superseded his time in the ring. He had several standout moments, from his WWE leg drop move to his unforgettable appearance in Rocky III as Thunderlips.

Hulk Hogan’s ability to stay in the public consciousness (even after his retirement) is reflected by the fact that Hollywood almost made a biopic about him. Given his size, finding a perfect actor to play him would have seemed difficult, but surprisingly, that part of the challenge of making a Hulk Hogan film had been tackled before its cancellation.

Chris Hemsworth Was Perfectly Cast In The Hulk Hogan Biopic, But The Project Was Dropped

It was in development Hell for years

In 2019, it was announced that Netflix was developing a biopic about Hulk Hogan, starring Chris Hemsworth as the controversial wrestler. Despite it being the perfect casting choice, the project kept getting delayed. COVID-19 also negatively impacted any hopes of the film materializing, and in 2024, an update from would-be director Todd Phillips all but confirmed the movie was cancelled.

As Hulk Hogan himself had explained prior to that, there had been difficulties with the production of the film due to an error in the contract, which made production nearly impossible to proceed with. However, Hogan also noted that Hemsworth was perfectly cast, and he might have even generated Oscar buzz if the film had materialized.

Unfortunately, the film was canceled, despite Hogan’s excitement about it, since the film was dark and willing to explore avenues that captured the totality of his impact on pop culture, both the good and the bad. The project seems ᴅᴇᴀᴅ for good today, so despite Hemsworth being ideal for the role, we might never see this biopic get made.

The Hulk Biopic Feels Even More Important After His Pᴀssing

It would be an appropriate act of mourning

Directing a biopic in the wake of news of Hulk Hogan’s pᴀssing might seem like a cheap move to capitalize on someone’s death. While that is true, and we hope if a biopic is made, the crew will be respectful of Hogan and his family without sacrificing artistic integrity, this is also perhaps the most timely moment to look back at the impact he’s made over the years.

As a dedicated act of mourning, making a Hulk Hogan biopic now, if it’s given the time and energy it deserves, would be the best sendoff to the man who ruled the wrestling world for decades. He’s not often fondly recalled, but that makes him an even more iconic presence, as he created as much controversy as he received adoration.

The Ben Affleck Hulk Hogan biopic, Killing Gawker, sounds more exciting than the originally planned biopic, and because it’s been nearly a year since its announcement, we might be looking at a Hulk Hogan biopic confirmation soon. Now is arguably the best time to start working on the biopic, as fans mourn him and moments from his life dominate conversation.