It’s crazy for me to think about it, but kids now probably only think of the smiling guy with the funny voice and face tattoo from The Hangover when you bring up Mike Tyson. Me, I grew up with “Iron” Mike, the most terrifying fighter in the world with his over the top cartoon character of a manager in Don King. Still, if anyone’s undergone a masterful PR change, it’s Tyson. Here’s a guy who got famous DESTROYING people in the boxing ring, went to prison for rape and bit a guys ear off during a comeback match. That same guy has an image today that would make him right at home as a character on The Masked Singer or something like that.
I include that preface because I’m ultra curious how Mike’s life story will be handled in Hulu’s upcoming Mike. The trailer seems to promise both a “warts and all” retelling and a puff piece. The look and feel is definitely the latter, but then you see an actress obviously playing Robin Givens (the victim in Tyson’s rape case) and you wonder, are they going to get real? Honestly, I don’t see how you can’t….and I also don’t see how this reminds the world who Tyson used to be, which isn’t going to end well for the Heavyweight Champ in the #metoo era.
Check out the trailer below and look for Mike on Hulu, August 25th
Official Synopsis:
You may know Tyson, but do you know Mike?
#MikeOnHulu premieres August 25. From creator/screenwriter Steven Rogers and the team behind I, Tonya and showrunner Karin Gist (Our Kind of People) comes MIKE. The limited series tells the story of the dynamic and controversial life of boxing icon Mike Tyson, starring Trevante Rhodes!
