Francis Lawrence to helm film on Hulk Hogan's lawsuit

'Red Sparrow'

helmer Francis Lawrence has been tapped to direct the film adaptation of the book 'Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue'.

According to a report, Oscar-winning scribe Charles Randolph will adapt the

Ryan Holiday

's novel, which was published in February this year.

The film will detail the legal battle between the actor Hulk Hogan; a media house and its founder, Nick Denton, over a sex tape that the online media company published featuring the former star. The lawsuit resulted in a USD 140 million judgment against Gawker and led to the outlet's subsequent bankruptcy.

It was later revealed that billionaire Thiel secretly funded Hogan's lawsuit out of his personal anger towards the media house for outing him. Hogan, Denton and Thiel, will all be characters in the movie and the makers are planning to cast Hollywood A-listers to these roles.

Lawrence will also produce alongside Blackrock Productions'

David A Neuman

. "When I read Ryan's extraordinary book I was totally taken with this story, such an exquisitely contemporary tale, and I immediately had a vision for it as a film," said Lawrence.

"It's an important and meaningful story, and one I'm excited to tell," he added.