How to watch Mike in the UK, US and abroad
Will the latest Tyson biopic be a knockout? Follow our guide to find out for yourself
Mike is the latest in a long line of movies and TV shows about legendary boxer Mike Tyson, and it looks to be as controversial as the story it’s trying to tell. The limited series has caused quite the backlash from fans after the former heavyweight champ took to social media to explain that the producers of the show neither contacted nor paid him at any point in the process.
Following this, many of the sporting icon’s biggest fans have tried to boycott the show that premieres on 25 August. With no official word from Hulu on the story, people have been left in the dark about the situation. Mike Tyson has reportedly been mistreated by financial advisors and managers throughout his career, which has created a lot of sympathy for him in the current situation.
Karin Gist, one of the showrunners of Mike, said “we just wanted to tell an unbiased story and have the audience decide what they think or feel.” With the story reigniting debates about who has the rights to history, Mike is bound to be a show to keep an eye on.
But how can you watch it? And what does this controversy mean for the public figures involved? Read on to find out.
Are celebrities usually paid for their biopics?
In most cases, the subject of a biopic will be involved in the project’s production. At the very least, they’re usually consulted about it, before being given a “producer” credit and some share of the revenue. For example, Tonya Harding was consulted and paid for her involvement in the 2017 film I, Tonya. She was also paid for “life rights” by the film’s creators to use her life story for the project.
But of course, this isn’t always the case. The laws around who owns the rights to what story can be very tricky, and when the subject of a biopic has passed away, it can get even more murky. Typically, if something is considered “newsworthy” and is based more in the realms of a documentary, then it doesn’t require as many rights acquisitions. More dramatised biopics that are more in the realms of fiction and entertainment also don’t require as much authorization as they take more artistic licence. Often, if a celebrity isn’t consulted, it may be because that celebrity won’t be treated too kindly by the media in question. For example, Dick Cheney most likely wasn’t consulted or involved in Adam Mackay’s 2018 biopic, Vice.
It’s definitely murky waters that are better left to lawyers who like arguing about privacy, copyright and intellectual property, but it definitely creates intrigue for how the series will treat the boxing star.
What is Mike going to cover?
Before there was Conor McGregor, there was Mike Tyson. If you think the UFC’s Irish superstar was the first controversial combat sports figure, think again. In fact, Mike Tyson has made as big a name for himself outside the ring as he has inside it.
Growing up on the streets of Brooklyn in the late 1960s, Mike Tyson didn’t have an easy upbringing. When his mother died when Tyson was only 16 years of age, it looked as though he was destined to continue the life of petty crime and street fighting he had been born into. However, Tyson was left to the care of Cus D’Amato, who would not only serve as his legal guardian, but his boxing coach and manager. This led to Tyson’s potential as a boxer being realised, as he’d go on to win multiple heavyweight championships and be quoted as one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of gloves.
Mike is set to explore the “wild, tragic and controversial life and career” of Tyson, so his early life will no doubt be featured heavily. As his star grew, however, so too did his troubles. At the height of his career, he was charged with rape and sentenced to 6 years in prison, eventually being released after 3. With financial problems, divorces and assaults outside the ring being frequent themes in more recent times, the upcoming Hulu series will have plenty of ground to cover.
The eight-episode run of Mike will pick up Tyson’s life story at various points through the years. In the first two episodes, which will focus on his early life, we’ll see BJ Minor play the teenage version of the star, with actor Trevante Rhodes taking on the titular role for the rest of the series. Hollywood veteran Harvey Keitel, most famous for his role in Pulp Fiction, will play Cus D’Amato. The series will also feature performances by Russel Hornsby, Kale Browne and Laura Harrier.
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How to watch Mike in the US
As previously mentioned, Mike will be a Hulu exclusive that premieres on 25 August 2022. Hulu is owned by ABC and Disney, making it the home of Disney’s “mature” content.
New subscribers get a free seven-day trial, but will afterwards be charged $6.99/mth or $69.99 if you’d like to subscribe for a whole year. You can also get a Hulu subscription bundled in with Disney Plus and ESPN+ for $13.99/mth.
How to watch Mike in the UK
In the UK, Star is Hulu’s equivalent. Built directly into the Disney Plus app, Star gives you access to shows like Family Guy, Only Murders in the Building and Atlanta. All you need to do is scroll to the dedicated “Star” tab and peruse to your pleasure.
UK viewers are lucky – Star is included in the Disney Plus subscription fee, so instead of paying separate subscriptions for Hulu and Disney Plus, we can get both for cheaper. New subscribers can get a seven-day free trial before paying £7.99/mth or £80 yearly.
How to watch Mike anywhere with a VPN
If you’re travelling and can’t wait to get stuck into the drama, a VPN could help you. VPNs or Virtual Private Networks can mask your location and encrypt your data so that you maintain security while surfing the web. Where this comes in particularly handy is when you want to bypass annoying geoblockers used by streaming services.
Although there are plenty of great VPNs to choose from now, we can safely recommend you two down below.
Express VPN is one of the best VPNs you can get. It’s run via 3,000+ servers in 94 different countries, meaning it has amazing capabilities when it comes to bypassing geoblockers. In terms of privacy and maintaining your data, Express is independently audited by PwC to ensure you none of your data will be stored, logged, or sold if you sign up. If you’d like to give it a try, you can save yourself 49% by purchasing through the button below.
Nord VPN is another strong choice. It’s also independently audited to keep a check on your privacy and data security, so you know you’ll get what you pay for. Moreover, it has a simple-to-use map-based UI that lets you pick what location you’d like to surf from. Nord is also amazing for customer service, giving you access to a 24/7 service to help you deal with any issues you may have. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee to give you more peace of mind.