The series promises to explore the “wild, tragic and controversial” life and career of Tyson, one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture.
Iron Mike is created by I, Tonya screenwriter Steven Rodgers. Showrunner Karin Gist will executive produce with Claire Brown of The Gist Of It, along with the I, Tonya team of Rogers, director Craig Gillespie, Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan, LuckyChap’s Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Brett Hedblom and Entertainment 360’s Darin Friedman.
Robbie played controversial figure skater Tonya Harding in 2017’s I, Tonya, and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role. Who will play Tyson in Hulu’s limited series has yet to be revealed.
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Tyson expressed his disapproval of the Hulu series.
“Hulu’s announcement to do an unauthorized miniseries of my life, although unfortunate, isn’t surprising,” he said. “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.”
Jamie Foxx is set to play Tyson in an upcoming film. The actor revealed last summer that he’s already started getting in fighting shape.
“We want to show, everybody evolves,” Foxx shared of the project on Mark Birnbaum’s Instagram Live series, Catching Up. “I think when we lay the layers on Mike Tyson in this story, I think everybody from young and old will be able to understand this man’s journey.”
Mike Tyson‘s life is being turned into a limited series — which Margot Robbie will be producing. Hulu has picked up an eight-episode series called Iron Mike, from the team behind I, Tonya, the streamer announced at its Television Critics Association winter press tour on Thursday.
