Latest news with #TotalFilm
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Hulk Hogan biopic was supposed to win Chris Hemsworth an Oscar, but a payment error by Netflix cancelled it; here's how
The death of Hulk Hogan, wrestling legend and pop culture icon, sent shockwaves beyond just the professional wrestling world. In the 80s and 90s, the towering blonde beefcake was one of the most popular people on the planet, instrumental in transforming wrestling from a niche pastime to a billion-dollar global industry. His presence was felt in cinema, too, from Rocky III to many others. And just years before his death, his roller-coaster of a life almost made it to the silver screen itself. But in the end, it was not to be. Chris Hemsworth was playing Hulk Hogan in the late wrestler's official biopic. The Hulk Hogan biopic that never was In 2019, filmmaker Todd Phillips of Joker fame announced the biopic of Hulk Hogan. Chris Hemsworth, best known as Marvel Cinematic Universe's Thor, was cast to play the American wrestler. There were some concerns about Hemsworth being 'too small' to play the 6'6", 135 kg behemoth, but Hogan was on board with the casting. The actor said he was set to dye his hair and moustache blond for the part. In a 2020 interview with Total Film, he said, "This movie is going to be a really fun project. As you can imagine, the preparation for the role will be insanely physical. I will have to put on more size than I ever have before, even more than I put on for Thor. There is the accent as well as the physicality and the attitude." An excited Todd Phillips called the film "an origin story of the Hulkster and Hulkamania." How things unravelled with Netflix By 2021, the film was still moving forward. And then came a lull. There were no updates, no shooting schedules, and still no blonde Hemsworth. Then, Hulk Hogan himself sounded the death knell, saying the film had been scrapped. Speaking on PDB Podcast in 2024, the wrestling legend said that Netflix messed up. 'They kind of missed a beat in the contract," Hogan said, "There was a payment that wasn't placed at the right time. The script was amazing. Scott Silver, who wrote the script for Joker, Wolf of Wall Street, a bunch of other movies, said, 'This is the best thing I've ever written.' When I read it, I'm like, oh my god, this is really good." Later that year, director Todd Phillips confirmed the same to Variety. "I love what we were trying to do, but that's not going to come together for me," he said. There were talks of an Oscar for Chris Hemsworth for the Hulk Hogan biopic. About the biopic Not much had been revealed about what tone the biopic was to take, but Hogan had once mentioned that it was dark in a very Todd Phillips way. The wrestler even said that with that treatment, Hemsworth could have won an Oscar for it. "When I read it I was like, 'Oh my gosh, if this thing comes out…' there was talk that Chris Hemsworth had never played a real person before and he could probably win an Oscar, this thing is so powerful," Hogan told PDB. Hulk Hogan's life and death Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hulk Hogan began wrestling in 1977, but became a pop culture icon during his days at WWE (then WWF) starting 1985. He headlined Wrestlemania, the company's showpiece event eight times in its first nine years, becoming WWF's biggest face, selling millions of merchandise and transforming the company into a national and then international fixture. In the 90s, he became a staple in WCW, becoming a memorable heel (villain). A 12-time world champion, Hogan also starred in several movies, paving the way for his juniors like Dwayne Johnson and John Cena, who all took their wrestling fame to Hollywood. Hulk Hogan died on July 24 at his home in Florida.(AP) Hogan died at his home in Florida on Thursday. He was 71. Police in Clearwater, Florida, said authorities had responded to a medical call for a cardiac arrest at Hogan's residence on Thursday morning. Hogan was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, they said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inside the Hulk Hogan Biopic with Chris Hemsworth and Why It Was Never Made
Hulk Hogan called the Netflix biopic's script "powerful," even hoping Chris Hemsworth would receive Oscar attention for his role Hulk Hogan's life story was almost a feature film before his death. The former wrestler, who gained fame in the '80s and '90s, died on Thursday, July 24 at 71. He was set to be portrayed by one of Hollywood's most chiseled actors, Chris Hemsworth, in a Netflix biopic. But, according to Hogan in a former interview, contract issues killed the project. First announced in 2019, the film was to be helmed by Joker director Todd Phillips. The Hollywood Reporter reported at the time that Hemsworth, 41, would play Hogan throughout his career and the movie would be "an origin story of the Hulkster and Hulkamania." In a 2020 interview with Total Film, via Comic Book, Hemsworth shared his excitement for portraying the rise of Hulkamania on screen. "This movie is going to be a really fun project," Hemsworth said. "As you can imagine, the preparation for the role will be insanely physical. I will have to put on more size than I ever have before, even more than I put on for Thor. There is the accent as well as the physicality and the attitude." "I will also have to do a deep dive into the rabbit hole of the wrestling world, which I'm really looking forward to doing," Hemsworth said, adding he'll also have to dye his hair blond and have a mustache to match the wrestler's iconic look. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In 2021, the film still seemed a go — with Hogan sharing an appreciative photo of the Thor actor showing off some bulky arms on Instagram. "My brother has that Hogan Pump on Jack, looks like he could slam Andre brother," Hogan captioned the shot, referring to late iconic wrestler Andre the Giant. (Hemsworth had originally posted the photo on his social media to celebrate wrapping Thor: Love and Thunder.) Three years later, during an interview with PDB Podcast, Hogan revealed while he loved the script and even believed Hemsworth could receive Oscar attention, the film had hit a dead end due to the contract. 'They kind of missed a beat in the contract," Hogan said, agreeing with host Patrick Bet-David when asked if Netflix was at fault. "There was a payment that wasn't placed at the right time. The script was amazing. Scott Silver, who wrote the script for Joker, Wolf of Wall Street, a bunch of other movies, said, 'This is the best thing I've ever written.' When I read it, I'm like, oh my god, this is really good." Hogan shared that he worked with Silver for three years, noting it was "very, very dark" but it "was probably what the public may want to see." "When I read it I was like, 'Oh my gosh, if this thing comes out…' there was talk that Chris Hemsworth had never played a real person before and he could probably win an Oscar, this thing is so powerful," Hogan added. In a 2024 interview with Variety, Phillips, 54, also confirmed the film was scrapped. "I love what we were trying to do, but that's not going to come together for me," he said. Hogan had starred in various films himself, including appearing in Rocky III as Thunderlips, as well as having roles in No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny. On television, he starred in the series Thunder in Paradise and Hogan Knows Best, and had guest appearances on shows like Baywatch and American Dad!. Hogan was recently the subject of the 2017 Netflix film, Nobody Speak, which focused on his high-profile lawsuit against Gawker, the online news outlet that published a sex tape without his permission. The years-long suit ended with Hogan being awarded a multimillion-dollar settlement in 2016, and Gawker and its affiliated websites were later sold off when the company declared bankruptcy. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Metro
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
2023's biggest and most explosive blockbuster is streaming this weekend
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The 2023 epic blockbuster Oppenheimer will be available to stream on Netflix this weekend. In 2023, the film's concurrent release with Barbie resulted in the Barbenheimer phenomenon, which saw fans watch the movies back to back as a double feature. The contrast between the equally well-received bold pink fantasy comedy and the serious historical drama had audiences in a chokehold and spawned memes, viral TikToks and excellent box office sales for both films. Coming to Netflix on Saturday, the three-hour biographical thriller is the perfect weekend watch for those looking for something meaty to chew on. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, American Prometheus, the film focuses on the 'father of the atomic bomb' and his torment at creating such a deadly weapon of mass destruction. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. The film has a star-filled cast with Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as his wife Kitty, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, plus Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. Spanning across several years, the film begins in 1926 when Oppenheimer was a student and ends in 1963 after exploring the events of the discovery of nuclear fission, the Manhattan Project, the devastating use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima, and Oppenheimer's 1954 security clearance hearing. Writer-director Christopher Nolan is behind the project, his previous films include Inception, The Dark Knight trilogy and The Prestige. The film was met with high praise and was nominated for thirteen awards at the 96th Academy Awards, winning seven awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Murphy) and Best Supporting Actor (Downey). The film also snagged five Golden Globes and seven Baftas. Metro's Tori Brazier said in her review: 'As expected (and hoped for), Nolan has produced a taut and twisty intelligent blockbuster that asks its audience to think along with the film. More Trending 'However, he never quite tips over into the realms of overly complex or intellectual – this is mainly down to the riveting character study he and Murphy present of Oppenheimer, and the pace and panache with which other figures enter and exit his life.' 'Oppenheimer left me stunned: a character study on the grandest scale, with a sublime central performance by Cillian Murphy. An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow,' praised Total Film's deputy editor Matt Maytum. Telegraph film critic Robbie Collin called it 'a total knockout that split my brain open like a twitchy plutonium nucleus and left me sobbing through the end credits like I can't even remember what else'. Oppenheimer will be available to stream on Netflix on July 12. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Netflix's new director working on 'boundary-pushing' psychological thriller after film streamed 185,000,000 times MORE: Netflix fans devastated that most 'feel-good' show is ending after 7 years MORE: Too Much is Netflix's best ever comedy – I've already binged it twice
Sunday World
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Nate Diaz claims he turned down Conor McGregor's role in Road House
'I ain't going to no movie and losing to no Brokeback Mountain.' Nate Diaz has claimed he turned down the role Conor McGregor played in the Road House reboot. The former MMA fighter landed the role of Knox in the 2024 film alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. Now, his fiercest rival has said he turned down the role because he didn't want to 'lose' an onscreen fight. 'I was supposed to do Conor McGregor's part in Road House,' he told the HJR podcast. 'That was my part, but I was like, 'I'm not fighting, go in there, and losing a fight.' 'I've seen the original Roadhouse. So I'm the main bad guy? I'm supposed to fight … okay, who's the Patrick Swayze then? And they said it was Jake Gyllenhaal and I'm like, 'I ain't going to no movie and losing to no Brokeback Mountain.' 'F*ck that. I'm good. I can't do it.' Diaz and McGregor have been bitter rivals since they first took to the ring in two 2016 bouts. McGregor v Diaz Diaz won their first fight, but a few months later, McGregor won their second by decision following a five-round rematch. McGregor landed a role in the remake of the 1989 film when he was in recovery after breaking his leg in 2021. He played the role of a hitman tasked with killing Gyllenhaal's character Elwood Dalton. A fan of the original movie starring Patrick Swayze, McGregor said he turned down 'a good few roles' before agreeing to star in Road House. 'I've had directors show up at fight camp, really beautiful directors doing really top-end movies… And over and over, they'd come to me, and I always turned them down,' he told Total Film. 'I'd leave people a little high and dry. I probably have a few enemies out there that I don't really know of because I had said, 'I might do it.'" Gyllenhaal said that during filming, he had to repeatedly remind McGregor not to 'actually hit' him. "There were a couple of times — actually, almost every time — I had to turn to him, and I'd be like, 'Remember, you don't actually hit me.' Nate Diaz / Conor McGregor - Getty Images News in 90 Seconds - May 27th He said he gave McGregor acting tips in exchange for grappling advice. 'He was like, 'OK, let's go!' But then there were times we were grappling, and he's talking to me while we were grappling. 'He's like, 'Right arm under. Wrap your leg around me. Now pull me up, through the legs.' 'So there was a real exchange. He came up to me, and he was like, 'I did that last take. What did you think of that? Was it a bit too big?' I'd be like, 'Well, you have that. Try this.' 'There was a real back-and-forth between us, and a deep respect for both of our primary occupations."
Perth Now
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘It holds endless possibilities': Knives Out future addressed by director Rian Johnson
Director Rian Johnson is open to continuing the 'Knives Out' series - "as long as Daniel [Craig] still wants to keep doing it". The 51-year-old filmmaker has helmed the whodunnit franchise that follows Craig's detective Benoit Blanc since its debut in 2019, and Johnson has revealed he is happy to continue the franchise past the upcoming 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' so long as both the 'James Bond' star is happy to keep making them and he can find stories that are "genuinely exciting and scary". When Collider asked the director whether there would be more 'Knives Out' movies, he said: "As long as Daniel still wants to keep doing it and as long as we have an idea that, to us, feels not just like cranking another one out, but feels genuinely exciting and scary like, 'Oh, wow, could we pull that off?' "I love the genre. It's endlessly malleable, and so it holds endless possibilities. But at the same time, I have made three of them in a row. I don't feel burnt out on it at all, but the next thing I have in my head to write is an original that's not a mystery at all." The 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' director added that the mystery genre was "totally different" to others as it "encompasses so many other types of genres". He said: "It's a totally different genre. One of the things I love about the mystery genre is that it holds the whodunit. Like sci-fi, it encompasses so many other types of genres." Looking to the next 'Knives Out' film 'Wake Up Dead Man', Johnson teased the upcoming whodunnit would be "so different" from its 2022 predecessor 'Glass Onion'. He said: "'Wake Up Dead Man', this next movie, is so different from, 'Glass Onion'. It's like night and day. And so, as long as we keep doing that, it's exciting." 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' - which stars Craig, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Cailee Spaeny, Glenn Close and Andrew Scott - will follow Benoit Blanc as he tries to solve his most dangerous case yet. While little is known about the new characters set to be introduced in 'Wake Up Dead Man', Brolin previously revealed he would be portraying a priest in the Netflix film. The 'Avengers: Endgame' star told Total Film magazine: "I'm playing a priest. My wife reminded me … She said, 'Do you remember a year ago you said that you wanted to play a priest? It's like you manifest this s***.'" Reflecting on the movie, Brolin heaped praise onto his "new favourite director" Johnson and labelled 'Wake Up Dead Man' as "one of the greatest experiences [he's] ever had". The 'Dune' actor gushed: "Rian is probably my new favourite director. It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. Incredible cast."
