Trevante Rhodes best known for Moonlight and The United States Vs. Billie Holiday is putting on the gloves to star as the storied and iconic boxing champion Mike Tyson, in Iron Mike, the upcoming Hulu limited series. As reported before, the project does not have the seal of approval from Mike Tyson himself and is separate from another limited series starring Jamie Foxx that Tyson, is producing. Antoine Fuqua is on board to direct the Foxx top-lined series.
If you recall Tyson, staunchly opposed the Hulu series after their announcement, where he said with an exclamation mark, ”Hulu’s announcement to do an unauthorized miniseries of my life, although unfortunate, isn’t surprising. This announcement on the heels of social disparities in our country is a prime example of how Hulu’s corporate greed led to this tone-deaf cultural misappropriation of my life story. To make this announcement during Black History Month only confirms Hulu’s concern for dollars over respect for Black story rights. Hollywood needs to be more sensitive to Black experiences especially after all that has transpired in 2020. My authorized story is in development and will be announced in coming days.”
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter their “sources say Hulu executives briefed him and his team on the series a couple months ago.” Nevertheless Iron Mike is from the team behind the critically acclaimed Margot Robbie-starred, I, Tonya. The series “explores the wild, tragic and controversial life and career behind one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture – heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.” The 20th Television produced project was created by I, Tonya writer Steven Rogers with Star and has mixed-ish’s Karin Gist attached as showrunner. Gist will executive produce with Claire Brown under The Gist Of It. The I, Tonya team of Rogers, director Craig Gillespie, Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan, LuckyChap’s Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, and Brett Hedblom and Entertainment 360’s Darin Friedman.
Tyson’s story was also the subject of a 1995 film, Tyson, where he was played by Michael Jai White.
