Mike Tyson is facing a new opponent, and it appears to be Hollywood as a whole.
The legendary heavyweight fighter attacked Disney-based streaming service Hulu on Thursday for giving the eight-episode biographical series “Iron Mike” the green light without his involvement or authorization.
“Hulu’s announcement to make an unauthorized miniseries of Tyson’s story without compensation, while unfortunate, is not surprising,” said Tyson in a statement posted on Instagram.
“This announcement in the wake of social disparities in our country is an excellent example of how Hulu’s corporate greed led to this misappropriation of Tyson’s life story. Making this announcement during Black History Month only confirms Hulu’s concern about dollars over respect for the rights of black stories. Hollywood needs to be more sensitive to black experiences, especially after everything that happened in 2020. Mike Tyson’s true authorized story is in development and will be announced in the coming days. Hulu to announce the theft of a history of black athletes during Black History month could not be more inappropriate or deaf. #boycotthulu #corporategreed.
“These actions by Hulu are just the tip of the iceberg. We must not be surprised by these abominable actions, as they represent the systemic racism that has plagued Hollywood throughout its existence. These corporate giants hide behind pieces and praise themselves for offering deaf attempts at diversity and inclusion, like Hulu’s “Black Stories” playlist, which recommends stories about black culture to viewers on the app. However, behind closed doors, they steal stories from the black community. #BoycottHulu ”
Hulu declined to comment on Tyson’s statement through The Hollywood Reporter, which reported that Hulu executives informed Tyson and his team about the series a few months ago.
THR describes that “Iron Mike” will “explore the tragic and controversial wildlife and career behind what the streamer calls ‘one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture’”.
Screenwriter Steven Rogers of “I, Tonya” created the “Iron Mike” series, and Karin Gist will serve as executive producer on the limited series created for Disney’s 20th Television. Craig Gillespie will be the director.
The authoritative story that Tyson alluded to in his statement could perhaps be the biopic to which Jamie Foxx has been attached in recent years.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He is also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Association of MMA Journalists. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]Akopyan[at]gmail.com or at www.ManoukAkopyan.com