Pro wrestling seems like fertile ground for the TV and movie industry, but until the appearance of Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler (2008) and Netflix’s series Glow about a group of female wrestlers, productions enjoying both popular and critical success have been thin on the ground. It seems a strange omission, especially given the inherently dramatic sphere of pro wrestling.

One such example is that of the Von Erich family. Any wrestling fan worthy of the name will remember with fondness the Von Erichs. They were five brothers who all succeeded in the sport, taking as their inspiration their father, Fritz Von Erich. The Von Erichs dominated the world of pro wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s, racking up dozens of regional, national, and international titles between them and gaining a loyal band of fans.

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However, for all the ringside triumphs the family enjoyed, the Von Erichs were also wracked with tragedy. Beset by illness and accidents, four of the five brothers died young, and a sixth died in childhood, leading some to speak of the “Von Erich curse.” Such a storied legacy was never likely to remain untouched by Hollywood for so long, and now The Iron Claw has rolled into production with A24, with Zac Efron in the lead role. Here’s what we know so far.

The Iron Claw: The Plot

     A24

While plot details are scarce, The Iron Claw owes its title to the wrestling move of the name same that was popularized by the Von Erichs. The brothers’ wrestling careers will take center stage. Of Fritz Von Erich’s sons, Kevin was the first to turn pro, wrestling in his father’s competitions and gaining the nickname “The Barefoot Boy” after having wrestled during one of his early bouts without any boots on. He was followed by brothers David, Kerry, Mike, and Chris, all of whom also turned pro, and several of whom became world champions.

But the family had to cope with the pressures of stardom, as well as more than the usual amount of bad luck. David died during a tour of Japan in 1984 from an acute bout of enteritis. The following year, Mike contracted toxic shock syndrome after a routine shoulder surgery and was in a severe car accident in 1986. The effects of both were debilitating, and he committed suicide the following year.

The youngest brother, Chris, followed his siblings into wrestling but struggled due to brittle bones and killed himself in 1991. Finally, Kerry also died by suicide in 1993. The five brothers and Fritz were elected to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Iron Claw: The Cast

     Universal Studios

Heading the cast is Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich. After a relatively quiet couple of years dominated by his reality TV work for Netflix, Efron has had a busy 2022, seeing the premieres of three films in which he appeared in leading roles: Anthony Hayes’ off-beat dystopian thriller Gold, the Stephen King adaptation Firestarter, and The Greatest Beer Run Ever. The latter is an Apple Original that debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, with Russell Crowe and Bill Murray as Efron’s co-stars.

Also starring in the film is Jeremy Allen White. The final season of Shameless aired last year, and principal cast member White went straight on to The Bear. The FX/Hulu drama-comedy is about a high-flying New York City chef who returns to his home in Chicago to oversee his family’s gently failing sandwich shop. White plays Kerry Von Erich, “The Texas Tornado,” who became a five-time world heavyweight champion.

Harris Dickinson also appears as David Von Erich. After coming to prominence following his breakthrough role in Eliza Hittman’s Beach Rats (2017), Dickinson has been all over our screens this year, with well-received performances in the Palme d’Or-winning black comedy Triangle of Sadness, See How They Run, and this summer’s sleeper hit Where The Crawdads Sing opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones (War of the Worlds).

In an unspecified supporting role is Lily James, whose most recent work includes Hulu’s Pam & Tommy and the cross-cultural rom-com What’s Love Got To Do With It?, which premiered at Toronto in September. Holt McCallany (Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Wrath of Man) and Maura Tierney (The Good Wife, The Affair) appear as Fritz and Fritz’s wife, Doris, respectively.

Lastly, in a nod to the pro wrestling world of today, the news broke last week that Maxwell Jacob Freedman – otherwise known by his ring name of MJF – will be starring in the film in a minor role.

Release Date

It’s early days for The Iron Claw so far, with filming beginning in Louisiana only last month. A24 has yet to publish a release date, but the consensus is that the film will premiere sometime in 2023.