The director of sitcoms like “Modern Family” and “Life in Pieces” has just signed on to direct the exact kind of film you’d expect – a gritty courtroom drama. Variety has just reported that JasonWiner, who has directed episodes of the massive sitcom “Modern Family,” is set to helm a courtroom drama based on the infamous Gawker/Hulk Hogan case. And who better to create a film about a very intricate court case than a director known for showing just how silly the family dynamic truly can be? We’re just as confused.
The film, titled “Thiel v. Gakwer,” examines the controversial court case between Terry Bollea, aka the legendary professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, and Gawker, the former gossip/news outlet. The court case originated because Gawker ran an article that shared a sex tape featuring the wrestler, without the permission of Hogan. Hulk Hogan then sued Gawker for $100 million, but ended up receiving $115 million plus $25 million in punitive damages. This led to Gawker filing for bankruptcy before being sold off.
It was later revealed that famed venture capitalist, and multi-billionaire, Peter Thiel had spent $10 million of his own money to help fund various lawsuits against Gawker, including Hogan’s. This war between Peter Thiel and Gawker stems from a 2007 article that Gawker published that publicly outed Thiel.
Needless to say, with such a high-profile court case, such as this, writer John Gary had to do his research to make sure he got all the facts. According to the report, Gary claims to have 23 separate sources that helped give him the most accurate behind-the-scenes story possible.
Jason Winer is a longtime veteran of various TV shows and TV movies. He’s currently in post-production on his first feature film, a comedy called “Ode to Joy,” which stars Morena Baccarin, Melissa Rauch, and Martin Freeman. Neil Meron and Craig Zadan are attached to produce “Thiel v. Gawker.”
The report says that the producers are currently lining up financing for the feature, so unfortunately, this is a film that won’t be hitting theaters anytime soon. However, this is definitely a film to keep your eyes on.