Mike Tyson doesn’t approve of Hulu’s upcoming biographical series, Mike, which is inspired by his life but was produced without his permission. Tyson had expressed his displeasure when the show was announced as well and is also working with Jamie Foxx, Antoine Fuqua, and Martin Scorsese on an official biopic.
Hulu’s Mike stars Moonlight breakout Trevante Rhodes as Mike Tyson and is described as an unfiltered and unbiased exploration of the boxer’s controversial life. Mike comes from the same team as I, Tonya, with Margot Robbie serving as an executive producer. Interestingly, neither Hulu nor the showrunners have hidden the fact that Mike is an unauthorized biopic, arguing that’s exactly why everyone should watch it. Although they maintain that Mike is not trying to villainize the former boxer and will leave it up to the viewers to decide what to think of Tyson. Here’s what Mike showrunner Karen Gist told ET Online:
"We just wanted to tell an unbiased story and have the audience decide what they think or feel. Challenging what people think they know about Mike and hoping that they come away from the series with something else to think about. Whether you like him or hate him, does the story make you question how complicit society has been? That was the intention."
But Mike Tyson is not pleased. Tyson has been slamming Hulu all over social media since yesterday. In a fiery Instagram post, Tyson wrote:
"Don’t let Hulu fool you. I don’t support their story about my life. It’s not 1822. It’s 2022. They stole my life story and didn’t pay me. To Hulu executives I’m just a n****r they can sell on the auction block."
"Hulu is the streaming version of the slave master," Tyson added.
"Hulu stole my story. They’re Goliath and I’m David. Heads will roll for this," Tyson said in an ominous tweet.
Mike Tyson has managed to stay out of trouble for a long time now, but he is not someone to be trifled with. Tyson recently beat up an airplane passenger who harassed and threw a water bottle at him. That was an extremely poor display of judgment on the passenger’s part, and after an investigation, no charges were filed against Tyson.
Hulu and Mike Producers Refute Mike Tyson’s Claims
Ahead of Mike’s premiere later this month, creator and writer Steven Rogers recently addressed Tyson’s allegations, saying:
"We actually couldn't talk to him because his life rights were already taken, so that was never on the table. I would hope that if he watches it that he would change his opinion. For me, as a writer, as a storyteller, I don't really like to be reliant on just one source. I really like to do the research and get all these different opinions and then put a story around all of that. I don't like to be beholden to just one person."
Tyson was quick to respond with an official statement, saying Hulu never contacted him.
"[That] is a flat out lie. My life rights option expired years ago. Hulu nor any of their supercilious team ever tried to engage in any negotiations with this Black man."
"They say this story is an exploration of a Black man. It's more like an exploitation of a Black man. Hulu thinks their tracks are covered by hiring Black sacrificial lambs to play the part as front men for their backdoor robbery is appalling. I will always remember this blatant disregard of my dignity."
Mike Tyson has received support from several prominent boxers and mixed martial artists online and is calling for a boycott of Hulu and Mike. It remains to be seen how the streamer deals with this controversy.
Mike will premiere on August 25 on Hulu.