Wrestling champ and pop-culture titan Hulk Hogan is known for a few things. His bizarre feather boa. His Atomic Leg Drop. His family, chronicled in the VH1 reality show Hogan Knows Best. What you may also remember him for are his array of movie roles, often in either family comedies that play off his size, or mid-'90s action films.
Either shown at theaters or headed straight to VHS and DVD, films involving the Hulkamania usually become either cult classics that you last saw as a child (looking at you Mr. Nanny) or bargain bin flicks you received as a last minute birthday present. Some are laughable, others are timeless, but all have their own..."style." This is a Definitive Ranking of Hulk Hogan's Most Stylish Film Roles.
22. “The Secret Agent Club”
Year Released: 1996
Masquerading as a clumsy toy salesman by day, Ray Chase is truly a secret agent who completes classified missions. When Ray brings his work home with him in the form of an experimental ray gun, he endangers the life of his son, and gets himself captured. His son takes the experimental ray gun, gathers his friends, and saves Hulk from the villain.
If you took “dad style” in the '90s and added a ray gun, you'd have the Hulkster's style on lock. His secret agent outfit is like if you asked your dad to dress up like he was in Mission Impossible, black turtleneck and all.
20. “McCinsey's Island”
Year Released: 1998
Joe McGrai is a retired agent who lives a life of seclusion on an island (which basically looks like the Florida Keys). When he comes across a hidden treasure map, a group of treasure hunters (headed by model Grace Jones) come after Hogan and his friends, he seeks out the treasure and attempts to save his captured comrade.
If you like seeing Hulk Hogan in denim cutoffs, shirtless, and wearing bandanas, you've come to the right film.
18. “Mr. Nanny”
Year Released: 1993
Hogan plays a former wrestler, Sean Armstrong, who accepts a job as bodyguard for the head of a tech firm. What he doesn't realize is that he'll be guarding the kids, not the adults. The film becomes a Home Alone clone as the kids put Hogan through the wringer much like the other nannies before him. While real trouble does show up when bad guys want to steal the dad's microchip, Hulk saves the kids and the dad—earning their respect and affection.
This is one of Hulk's most all over the place roles in terms of style. One day he's rocking mid-life baldness and light wash denim and the next minute he's in a tutu practicing ballet with the kids.
16. “Little Hercules in 3D”
Year Released: 2009
As a preteen, Hercules defies his father Zeus and descends from Mount Olympus to Burbank California. An embarrassing mix of WWE wrestlers and Hogan's family members making cameos, it was a film that went straight to DVD, and it really shows.
Hogan primarily wears a toga, but makes cameos in human world at sporting events and generally following Hercules around. While his hair is usually white-blonde and shoulder length, the team behind this film decided to give him a long white wig a la Storm from X-Men.
14. “3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain”
Year Released: 1998
The Hulkster plays Dave Dragon, the star of a soon to be canceled T.V. show. After kicking some ass at the Mega Mountain theme park, Dave Dragon proves he still has serious chops as an action star—and as a real-life hero. For a film about ninjas, he dresses like a shirtless "Power Rangers"-Conan The Barbarian hybrid.
12. “The Ultimate Weapon”
Year Released: 1998
Hogan plays mercenary Ben “Hardball” Cutter who tries to put a stop to the plans of some weapons traffickers. When the bad guys make it personal and attack Hogan's family, Hogan (according to the trailer) “makes it professional.”
If they cast Hulk Hogan instead of Bruce Willis in “Die Hard,” this is probably what he'd wear.
10. “No Holds Barred”
Year Released: 1989
A movie that seems like a real story with just the names changed, Rip (Hulk Hogan) is the World Wrestling Federation champion. Rip is committed to his network and fans, but has another network interested in having him wrestle for them instead. When Hogan's character refuses, the network head sends Zeus (a.k.a Deebo from the “Friday” trilogy) to harass and rough up him and his friends. The movie culminates in a the “Ho Holds Barred” match, where Rip and Zeus beat each other senseless, and destroy the ring in the process.
Considering this is a film about wrestling, Hogan looks like…well, a late '80s WWF-era wrestler.
8. “Assault on Devil's Island”
Year Released: 1997
Also known as Shadow Warriors, Hulk Hogan is joined by Carl Weathers on this “by-the-numbers” action film. The two blast through baddies and foil a chemical weapons terrorist plot.
While Hogan has played a military agent or commando, this role looks as if Hogan's character returned from Vietnam, lived on the streets for years, trained with Jean-Claude Van Damme and then was called back into action to stop this terrorist plot. The long and matted hair, the faded fatigues, it's all here. It's unclear if Hogan is wearing a wig, or if this is a rare moment when Hulk conquered his baldness.
6. “Suburban Commando”
5. “Santa With Muscles”
Year Released: 1996
A greedy, self-made millionaire (Hogan) is on the run from the cops, and hides out as a mall Santa. He hits his head and gets amnesia while making his getaway down a garbage chute, and suddenly believes he is Santa. While this is happening, an evil scientist is trying to take over an orphanage to get at the magical crystals underneath. Hulk (at this point known as…wait for it…Santa with muscles) ultimately beats the baddies and saves the day. Yes, this is a film.
Of course Hogan's Santa isn't going to be a conventional one, but who knew he'd end up looking like a goth trill Santa reboot?
3. “Rocky III”
Year Released: 1982
In an exhibition match for charity, the “Italian Stallion” goes up against Hogan's “Thunderlips.” The match devolves into a brawl that involves the entire crowd, and while Hogan goes wild and clearly throws Rocky around the ring, the match ends in a draw.
His outfit when entering the ring is really nothing but a top hat with feathers, a cape with tassles, and a whip. Nothing like a little dazzle before you face off in the ring. He calls himself the "ultimate male," this may be the most OG (and true to self) role that the Hulkster ever had. Too bad it was his first.
