Back in 1990, Hulk Hogan, an iconic figure in the wrestling ring, had a brief but memorable role in the film ‘Gremlins 2’, a high point in his filmography outside of the ‘Rocky’ series. As Sylvester Stallone was sculpting ‘Rocky III’, he sought a formidable adversary for himself on the silver screen. His search concluded when he set his gaze on Hulk Hogan, a giant of a man standing at 6ft 7in and weighing 300 pounds. Hogan, known by fans as ‘The Hulkster’, was selected for the role of Thunderlips, pro wrestling’s ‘ultimate male’, who clashes with Rocky in a chaotic match where brute strength of wrestling contends with polished skills of boxing.
When casting Hogan, Stallone was reportedly inspired by a clip of him wrestling two men at the same time. Stallone’s decision to conduct his stunts himself in the gripping face-off with Hogan was something that he would later come to reconsider. ‘Rocky’ perceives the wrestling ring as a stage for choreographed fights, but he is left shaking and disoriented after being thrashed and tossed around the ring by Thunderlips. Stallone inevitably experienced the kinetic energy of ‘Hulkamania’, a phrase wrestling enthusiasts coined to encapsulate Hogan’s electrifying presence in the ring.
Stallone elaborated on the raw force of Hogan’s wrestling prowess, recounting a moment where Hogan vaulted himself with such momentum that he struck Stallone’s chest with his leg, forcibly grounding the ‘Italian Stallion’. The cinematic wrestling match spills over into the spectators’ area in the film, a scene that reportedly resulted in three stuntmen landing in the hospital. Hogan’s dynamic inclusion in the ‘Rocky’ series put him in the mainstream spotlight, accentuating his inherent charisma that revolutionized the world of wrestling.
Through his magnetic personality and unparalleled strength, Hogan propelled the World Wrestling Federation—rebranded later as World Wrestling Entertainment—into a global trailblazer, birthing an era defined by wrestling mania. Over his illustrious three-decade career, Hogan generated record-breaking ticket sales compared to any of his wrestling counterparts. Following his wrestling success, he attempted to transition into acting during the 1980s and 1990s, positioning himself as a Schwarzenegger-esque figure. Nevertheless, Hogan mainly found himself involved in direct-to-home video and made-for-TV movies later in his career.
Despite the lacklustre quality of his films, Hogan broke ground for fellow WWE stars such as John Cena, Dave Bautista, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who successfully transitioned to mainstream cinema. Before being selected as Thunderlips, Hogan’s wrestling persona embraced the role of a ruthless villain with an iconic atomic radiation symbol shaved into his chest hair. A feud with Vince McMahon Sr. arose as the senior McMahon disapproved of his venture into films, leading Hogan to leave the World Wrestling Federation.
Hogan placed a confident bet on himself, claiming that ‘Rocky III’ would mark the cinematic event of the year. His prediction wasn’t far off, with the film ranking as the fifth highest grossing movie of 1982. To promote the movie, Hogan appeared on ‘The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson’ and introduced ‘Hulkamania’ to the masses. As ‘Rocky III’ premiered, Hogan had already established himself as a top draw in the wrestling world.
Upon his return to the World Wrestling Federation, now managed by Vince McMahon Jr., Hogan ascended to the status of company champion in 1984. Bolstered by Hogan’s charisma, McMahon Jr. had a strategic plan to take the New York-based enterprise to a national scale, intending to eradicate competition from other wrestling promotions. Hogan consistently attracted considerable success in wrestling, but he sought to conquer Hollywood, initiating a transition into films.
In response to Hogan’s Hollywood ambitions, McMahon Jr. produced a film to showcase Hogan’s abilities titled ‘No Holds Barred’. The film casts Hogan as Rip Thomas, a revered wrestler who finds himself skirmishing against a nefarious television executive named Brell. ‘No Holds Barred’, though barely recognized outside wrestling circles, generated a particular infamous reputation among the wrestling fanbase. It didn’t meet the ‘so bad it’s good’ standard, instead taking criticism as ‘utterly atrocious’.
Hogan, not wholly satisfied with the initial script, locked himself in a hotel room alongside McMahon to rewrite it. They hit a roadblock in writing the climactic duel between Rip and Zeus, with inspiration finally striking Hogan while he was sitting in the restroom. The result of his eureka moment was a scene where Rip manages to escape a kidnapping attempt, prompting a menacing Robin’s growl that frightens a henchman into an accidental bowel incident.
Initial screenings of ‘No Holds Barred’ proved less than promising, causing most potential distributors to walk out. New Line Cinema offered to distribute it at no cost but had to incentivize theatres with a generous profit split on the up-and-coming ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ sequel. The film’s budget was debated, with an estimate between $7 million and $11 million, though the Wrestling Observer suggested a figure of $1.5 million. Regardless of its budget, ‘No Holds Barred’ generated decent box office returns, grossing $5 million in its opening weekend and a total of $16 million. Its critical reception, however, left much to be wanted.
Following ‘No Holds Barred’, Hogan made a brief but impactful appearance in ‘Gremlins 2’, arguably his most esteemed non-‘Rocky’ film role to date. New Line Cinema, sensing potential in him as an actor, decided to produce ‘Suburban Commando’ as a potential breakout film. Also featuring Shelley Duvall and Christopher Lloyd, the movie sees Hogan as Shep Ramsey, an interstellar warrior who crash-lands in America and becomes part of an ordinary family. Following a ‘Crocodile Dundee’-like narrative, it presented comical situations intended to highlight Hogan’s character’s alienness to earth’s customs.
Just ahead of ‘Suburban Commando’s’ release, Hogan’s image was tarnished when he was linked to a steroid supply scandal involving Dr. George Zahorian and a number of WWF wrestlers. The revelation eroded Hogan’s wholesome, family-friendly persona and cast a shadow over his ‘take your vitamins and say your prayers’ mantra. Despite their previous commitment to Hogan, New Line Cinema presumably regretted it due to the underwhelming box office performance of ‘Suburban Commando’. With a production budget of $11 million, the film barely managed to make $8 million.
Hogan’s next project, ‘Mr. Nanny’ (1993), fostered the potential to draw audiences with its ‘Home Alone/Kindergarten Cop’-like comedy premise. It cast Hogan as a professional wrestler who embarks on a new career as a bodyguard for a tech mogul, only to be tormented by the man’s mischievous children. Despite its promise, ‘Mr. Nanny’ was delayed due to poor test screening feedback and finally bombed at the box office, barely making $4.2m. Ultimately, the unique appeal and charisma that positioned Hogan as a wrestling icon failed to resonate with movie audiences. Hogan’s satisfactory performance was confined to direct-to-video films like Thunder in Paradise and other B-movies.
The post Hulk Hogan’s Notable Leap from Wrestling Ring to the Silver Screen appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
