Trevante Rhodes has been tapped to star as Mike Tyson in the upcoming Hulu limited series Iron Mike.
The project, which Tyson does not approve of, is separate from another limited series that is in the works with Jamie Foxx starring and Tyson producing.
Tyson came out against the Hulu series when it was announced, stating, “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.”
But The Hollywood Reporter notes, “sources say Hulu executives briefed him and his team on the series a couple months ago.”
Iron Mike is from the team behind the Margot Robbie-starrer, 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-set 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. The boxer was the subject of a 1995 film, Tyson, and he was played by Michael Jai White.
Antoine Fuqua is set to direct the Foxx project.