In Hollywood, it is natural that some casting choices are looked down upon and disdained by fans. Such is the fan hate that often an actor fails to escape the backlash and a significant part of their legacy is occupied by such a feat. So, it is for Ben Affleck. The Oscar-winning star has portrayed several iconic characters and done a brilliant job at bringing them to life, yet, a large part of his legacy continues to be dominated by his polarizing Batman casting.
Starring as the Dark Knight in Zack Snyder’s DUEU, the actor continues to receive flak for the role despite his first-rate portrayal. And now, he might be well on his way to meeting a similar fate as he has been roped in to portray Hulk Hogan in a movie titled, KILLING GAWKER.
After Giving up Batman Mantle, Ben Affleck to Play Hulk
Ben Affleck‘s Batman portrayal may have been comic book accurate, even though he was more ruthless and open to violence compared to other iterations, but fans have largely hated his version. While the hate might be associated with Zack Snyder and his writing, there is nevertheless an agreement among certain factions of the huge DC fandom that Ben Affleck was never the right choice for the role of the Dark Knight.
As his controversial Dark Knight casting continues to follow him, the actor has taken up another controversial role: portraying the wrestling star of yesteryear Hulk Hogan. As per PWInsider, a screenplay on the infamous Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker court case has been in development, titled KILLING GAWKER, garnering the attention of Hollywood elites.
Said to be in talks with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon‘s production company, if all things go right, Affleck would be starring as a wrestling legend while Damon might play the PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who is said to have helped Hogan with funding the case. With a separate Chris Hemsworth-starrer Hogan biopic in the work, this news has not been well-received by netizens.
Fans Blast Ben Affleck as He Potentially Prepares to Play Hulk Hogan
The Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker court case was one of the most publicized events of showbiz, where the wrestling legend sued the media company for publishing an s*x tape of him and a married woman, recorded without his consent. The case gained more traction when it was revealed that Peter Thiel, PayPal co-founder had been funding Hogan in his legal fight (see Legal Funding Journal).
While the case resulted in a huge win for Hogan and Gawker being shut down, fans are not convinced that they need a movie about the legal battle. They are further polarized after hearing that Ben Affleck might be potentially starring as Hogan in such a film.
We got Ben Affleck as Hulk before GTA 6 😭
— Gadgets Hub 𝕏 (@thegadgetshub) August 3, 2024
Can we not? We just don't need this movie. At all.
— SitaRose🌹🥥 (@SitaRose27) August 3, 2024
Sounds like the worst
— Vishwajit Patil (@_VishwajitPatil) August 3, 2024
Excuse me what did I just read
— Cozy Bryant (@LowkeyCozy) August 4, 2024
Ben, please don’t 😭
— King Of Kings 👑 (@Gllking22) August 3, 2024
I think I speak for the majority. pic.twitter.com/E7LbclCBoR
— Matt (@NewMatterial) August 3, 2024
Ben Affleck is an incredible actor no doubt, but to a lot of fans, it looks close to absurd that he would be willing to show off his talents by starring as Hulk Hogan. While he might do a good job given his genius, there is no guarantee that fans would be willing to watch the film.
While the actor is yet to respond and his casting is still an ‘if’, fans are not so happy about the news. As criticism continues, only time will tell how things will play out for the former Batman and the said Hulk Hogan biopic.
