Stranger Things Star Was Originally Slated To Play Hulk Hogan In 'Killing Gawker' Movie

Killing Gawker, a movie about the Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker court case is expected to move forward with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Artist Equity production company picking up the screenplay. Ben Affleck is reportedly slated to play The Hulkster while Matt Damon will star as Peter Thiel. Longtime Affleck and Damon collaborator Gus Van Sant is on board to direct Killing Gawker, according to Jeff Sneider. Van Sant previously directed Good Will Hunting. 

The screenplay for Killing Gawker has long bounced around Hollywood circles and is based on the 2018 book, Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue by Ryan Holiday. The movie was previously optioned under Seth Gordon's Option A, Mike Johnson of PWInsider has reported, and the hope for this version of the movie was Stranger Things star David Harbour would have donned the blonde moustache as Hulk Hogan. Jared Leto was earmarked to play Peter Thiel. The option ultimately lapsed, however.

Hulk Hogan, in a lawsuit secretly funded by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel to the tune of $10 million, sued Gawker for invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and infringement of personality rights after the media outlet released sections of a secretly-recorded sex tape of Hogan with Heather Clem, who was the wife of Bubba the Love Sponge at the time. 

Hogan was awarded $140 million from the lawsuit and Gawker permanently closed due to the lawsuit in August 2016.