Netflix Close to Deal For Rights to Hulk Hogan/Gawker Documentary

– Netflix is close to a deal for worldwide rights to a documentary looking at Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker over the posting of a portion of his infamous sex tape. Deadline reports that the streaming service is nearly competed a deal to acquire Nobody Speak: Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press, outbidding four other outlets with a price around $2 million.

The documentary is directed by Brian Knappenberger and centers on Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker which resulted in a judgment of $115 million, plus $25 million in punitive damages. After Gawker appealed, the suit was settled for $31 million. It was revealed after the initial judgment that Hogan’s lawsuit was bankrolled by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who Gawker outed as gay in 2007.

The documentary covers Gawker’s reckless attitude toward reporting as well as, according to the site, “the dwindling fortunes of traditional media and the possibility that real news could be censored by news organizations that fear pricey litigation waged by deep-pocketed litigants or those behind the scenes trying to settle scores.” It premieres publicly on Tuesday but was shown by prospective buyers early because many of them leave Sundance before premiere dates.