Hulk Hoganhas left behind a little-known cinematic career on top of his contributions to wrestling, worthy of examination even today. Recently, it was announced thatTerry “Hulk” Hogan tragically passed awayat the age of 71, leaving behind a wrestling legacy matched by very few.
Of course, manywrestlers have pivoted to movie stardomover the years, and Hulk Hogan was no different in his appearances in a wide variety of different movies. Hogan’s filmography might not have the same weight as the likes of Dave Bautista or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, but plenty of fun movies were made with his likeness.
Hulk Hogan never got much of a chance ot take center stage as a hero in a major Hollywood blockbusters, but he was great in a variety of supporting roles. Enter3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain, the fourth entry in the obscure3 Ninjasmovie series.
Here, the Hulkster plays Dave Dragon, the star of a fictional TV show that the child protagonists are a big fan of. Dave ends up settling into almost something of a father-figure role, showing off how great Hogan can be in a paternal setting. That being said, the rest of3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountainpainfully bad.
It seems as though every “tough guy” archetypal action hero actor is forced to perform in a film where they are stuck out of their element taking care of kids, from Arnold Schwarzenegger’sKidnergarten Copto Vin Diesel’sThe Pacifier.Hulk Hogan’s version of this action herobabysitter comedyis calledMr. Nanny.
Hogan stars as a wrestler-turned-bodyguard tasked with watching the children of a munitions company CEO’s children. Most of the film boils down to jokes about a buff macho man like Hulk Hogan wearing a tutu to entertain children, which is mildly amusing, but not enough to carry a whole movie.
Imagining someone as audacious and bombastic as a master of espionage isn’t an easy feat, but that’s exactly what happened withThe Secret Agent Club.The film takes advantage of Hogan’s fatherly charm and ability to act across from kids by giving him a daytime identity as a simple, flustered house dad.
When Hogan is captured by his nemesis, it’s up to his son to save him with the help of a high-tech laser gun stolen from the bad guys.Described as an uneven cross betweenHome AloneandTrue Lies, The Secret Agent Clubgets points for trying with its father-son bond, but is left in the dust by most of Hogan’s other movies.
While the muscle-bound glory of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s filmography would be chased by many body-building actors in Hogan’s position, the Hulkster actually got the chance to take over for Arnold in a script originally meant for him.Suburban Commandoposits Hogan as a warrior from a distant galaxy who finds himself stranded on Earth.
Suburban Commandois a classic fish-out-of-water story with an intimidating hero being flummoxed by the normalcy of day-to-day life on Earth, not dissimilar toArnold’s very first film,Hercules in New York.The film grew a quiet cult fanbase on video, making the most of Hulk Hogan’s appeal with kids.
Most Christmas movies featuring Santa actually posit that the jolly man with the bag is actually real all along, instantly creating some interesting worldbuilding issues.Santa with Muscles, however, supposes that a bodybuillder wearing a Santa costume suffers a head injury that causes him to believe that he is indeed the real Saint Nick.
It’s hard to find a premise more creative than this in Hulk Hogan’s filmography, and the film certainly gets the most mileage out of the hilarious joke set-up it can. From lovably corny scenes to an early appearance from a young Mila Kunis, there’s a lot to appreciate aboutSanta with Muscleseven if it’s limited in budget and scope.
Being a professional wrestler, it’s no great surprise that Hulk Hogan actually starred in aphenomenal professional wrestling movie,No Holds Barred.Distinguishing itself from Hogan’s actual wrestling career, the WWE-produced film stars him as Rip Thomas, a more-or-less stylized version of himself.
No Holds Barredis significant for being one of the only wrestling movies to create a character that crossed over onto an actual professional wrestling circuit, with Tommy Lister Jr.’s Zeus becoming a real star for a time. Though it’s only necessary viewing for true WWE fans,No Holds Barredis a perfect encapsulation of Hogan’s personality and career in the ring.
4Gnomeo & Juliet
A Middling, But Creative Kid’s Movie
Hogan’s iconic shouting voice is the perfect vehicle for the brand’s message, even getting to use his classic catchphrase “brother” in the absurd ad. It’s a brief role in a kid’s movie of middling quality, but still one of the best uses of Hulk Hogan as an actor in his career.
A huge part of the fun oftheMuppetsmoviesis seeing Jim Henson’s iconic felt creations interact with real stars on a live movie studio, andMuppets from Spaceis no different. In this film, Gonzo learns he may be a space alien, causing him to be kidnapped by the government for study.
Hogan stars as a member of the C.O.V.N.E.T. villain group, letting him loose as a genuine antagonist. His time on screen doesn’t last too long, but he’s a charming addition to a classic Muppets adventure who shares the screen well with his puppet counterparts.
Arguably, one of Hogan’s best forays onto the silver screen was also his very first, kicking off his acting debut with a role inRocky III.Here, Sylvester Stallone’s iconic boxer finds himself outmatched by the notorious Clubber Lang, played by the beloved Mr. T. Rocky needs to reclaim his victory with some help from his old rival, Apollo Creed.
Hulk Hogan steals the show with one of the most entertaining scenes in the film, being a gimmicky exhibition match between himself and Rocky where he plays a wrestler named Thunderlips. It’s great fun seeing Rocky’s boxing fighting style go up against a professional wrestler, rising to the top of Hogan’s filmography easily.
Despite only being another brief cameo role,Gremlins 2: The New Batchdoes technically feature Hulk Hogan, and is easily the strongest film to see his name listed among the credits. The second batch of Mogwai come to terrorize an office building in this chaotic horror-comedy sequel, resulting in the creation of all sorts ofnew mutant Gremlins.
The chaos is enhanced by a brief appearance from Hulk Hogan as himself, as he breaks the fourth wall, threatening the Gremlins with a whole world of pain should they not stop messing with the projector audiences are watching the movie on. It’s a headache-inducing bit of canon to think about, but easilyHulk Hogan’s most memorable appearance at the movies ever.
