Hulu sets Mike Tyson drama, boxer hits out at series & preps own project

US boxing icon Mike Tyson has hit back after Hulu announced a straight-to-series order for Iron Mike, a scripted limited series dramatising the events of his life.

The streamer has commissioned an eight-part series from I, Tonya writer Steven Rogers and director Craig Gillespie, with that film’s Margot Robbie set to exec produce, via her LuckyChap banner, alongside showrunner Karin Gist.

Hulu said that Iron Mike will examine “the wild, tragic and controversial life and career” of the athlete. But Tyson quickly slammed the project as “tone-deaf cultural misappropriation” and announced that an “authorised” version of his life story was in the works and would soon be revealed.

“Hulu’s announcement to do an unauthorised mini-series of the Tyson story without compensation, although unfortunate, isn’t surprising,” wrote Tyson on Instagram.

“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 the Tyson 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.”

Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world between 1987 and 1990, but his career took a nosedive after he was convicted of rape in 1992 and sentenced to six years in prison. He went on to regain his boxing titles after being released on parole and stunned the sporting world by retiring in 2005.