Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are developing a new film under their production company, Artists Equity. "Killing Gawker" will explore the legal battle between the wrestler Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media, one of the most influential media companies at the time. The story was impactful and involved various moving pieces explored in the nonfiction book "Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue."
© GettyImagesThe Hollywood Reporter was the first outlet to break the news, claiming that Affleck was in talks to star as Hogan. Casting decisions have yet to be finalized.
It also reported that Gus Van Sant, who previously directed Affleck and Damon in the film "Good Will Hunting," is in talks to direct "Killing Gawker." He's worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and has been nominated for Oscars for his work in "Milk" and "Good Will Hunting."
"Killing Gawker" is based on the real-life case of Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, who sued Gawker Media for publishing his sex tape without his consent. Peter Thiel, the tech entrepreneur responsible for co-founding Pay Pal, helped finance Hogan's lawsuit and appears to be an important character in the film. Gawker ultimately agreed to pay $31 million to Hogan, resulting in the website's shutdown.
© GettyImagesA similar project to Affleck and Damon's work
"Killing Gawker" is the latest film to be announced by Affleck and Damon's production company, Artists Equity. The project fits well with their recent work, which includes "Air," a film that explores the true story of Nike employee Sonny Vaccaro, who was responsible for the company's partnership with then-rookie Michael Jordan. The partnership changed the face of sports marketing, resulting in the development of the Jordan sneakers and in dozens of lucrative sports partnerships that now account for a large percentage of athletes' paychecks.
Other Artists Equity projects in development include "Unstoppable," with Jennifer Lopez, and "Small Things Like These," with Cillian Murphy.
