Vince McMahon is the most powerful force in all of sports entertainment/professional wrestling. Like him or not, and frankly a lot of us fall in the “not” camp, McMahon has grown WWE from a regional brand to a global powerhouse, but he’s also survived a lot of public turbulence and legal trouble. Now he is teaming up with Blumhouse Television for The United States of America vs. Vince McMahon, which will center on one of the darkest periods for the WWE.
The United States of America Vs. Vince McMahon is the first scripted series to focus on Vince McMahon, who has been running World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly World Wrestling Federation) for decades. In the ’90s, better known to fans as the “Attitude Era”, the Mr. McMahon character, a heightened egomanical version of Vince, became incredibly popular for his feud with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. This was also the time when McMahon was facing scrutiny for the rampant steroid abuse running through the company. The headlines caught the attention of the FBI, and in 1994 McMahon was indicted for supplying anabolic steroids to his superstars. McMahon fought the charges and was ultimately acquitted.
All of this was taking place when the WWE was at its lowest point, facing the emergence of rival WCW, and nearing bankruptcy. But out of the turmoil WWE would explode to become the dominant brand in all of sports entertainment.
McMahon and WWE exec Kevin Dunn will serve as exec-producers, along with Jason Blum. WWE and Blumhouse have worked together in the past on horror film Incarnate and the superhero drama Sleight.
I just want to know who’ll play McMahon, and if he can match the CEO’s infamous grapefruits-swinging swagger. [Deadline]
