The Iron Claw Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer And More Details
Warning — spoilers for a true-life story below.
Once upon a time, the Adkisson brothers roamed Texas like giants. As the Von Erich family, they were worshipped like matinee idols, demigod defenders of the righteous and the pure. For young people living in Texas during the early 1980s — and thousands watching at home elsewhere via syndicated broadcasts — they simply were professional wrestling. Backed up by their promoter father Fritz, the boys — Kevin, Kerry, Mike, David, and eventually Chris — formed the center of World Class Championship Wrestling.
Fritz allegedly prevailed upon the kids to live up to his extremely high athletic and moral standards, and one by one, most of the brothers would buckle under the immense social pressure they were perpetually under, fall to drug and legal issues, and pass away, with three dying by suicide. By the time the late '90s rolled around, Kevin would be the only brother left standing to outlive his parents, and World Class Championship Wrestling would be absorbed into the USWA.
Call it what you will — a curse, a Greek tragedy, a cautionary tale, or simply a microcosm of the hard-partying ways that caused the early deaths of so many young wrestlers from that era — but the story of the Von Erichs has haunted the world of professional wrestling since its last, sad beats first played out. A24 Films, with the support of Kevin Von Erich and the Von Erich family, will bring the family's tale to the big screen with "The Iron Claw," named after the finishing maneuver Fritz first crafted for the family to use all the way back in the 1960s.
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When will The Iron Claw be released?
A24 announced in July 2023 via Variety that "The Iron Claw" will make it out of the gates during the final quarter of the year. Specifically, it's set to be released on December 22, 2023. That sandwiches it between "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" — slated for a December 20 release — and "The Color Purple," which will hit theaters on Christmas Day, on the major theatrical release schedule.
"The Iron Claw" will not be subjected to a limited release but a wide one; that means audiences worldwide will be able to see it on the same day. And since that places the film squarely in the awards season release window, it's quite possible that it might conjure up some Oscar nominations. Yet the film seems a likely candidate to skip the important pre-Oscars festival circuit due to the fact that it is still in the process of being prepared for release in post-production.
What's the plot of The Iron Claw?
Per the official blurb released by A24, "The Iron Claw" will spotlight "the true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports."
That means the film definitely won't be shying away from the brothers' difficult, emotionally-charged lives, but will also spotlight the family's career and personal highlights. It's highly likely that such major events as Kerry capturing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Ric Flair in May 1984 during the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions, will be seen. There's no word as to how far we'll follow the family through its storied history, but there are strong hints that it will chronicle the Von Erich family's life from Fritz's time as an active wrestler all the way through to Kevin's life after retiring from the ring to Hawaii.
Who is starring in The Iron Claw?
"The Iron Claw" sports a star-studded cast who worked quite hard to build wrestling-ready physiques.
Zac Efron will play Kevin Von Erich, the eldest son in the family, known for wrestling barefooted. "The Bear" star Jeremy Allen White portrays Kerry Von Erich, the "Modern Day Warrior," and arguably best-known of the brothers. Kerry was the only Von Erich to date to become NWA Champion, and the only second-generation Von Erich to work full-time for a national promotion — he performed with the WWF in the early '90s and was their Intercontinental Champion from August to December 1990. Stanley Simons will play Mike Von Erich, whose career was cut short when the aftereffects of toxic shock syndrome and a car crash took a toll on his health and ability to wrestle. Harris Dickinson plays David Von Erich, the family's greatest hope for the NWA Championship until a sudden and still-contentiously-debated death in a Japanese hotel room changed everything.
Holt McCallany heads the family as Fritz Von Erich, with Maura Tierney as his long-suffering wife, Doris. Lily James rounds out the main cast as Kevin's wife, Pam. Sam Franich and Leo Franich play younger versions of Kevin Von Erich's now-adult sons, Marshall and Ross, respectively. And a number of real-life professional wrestling greats — and actors simply playing real-life wrestling greats — will also appear in the film.
Who's directing and producing The Iron Claw?
Sean Durkin both wrote and directed "The Iron Claw." Durkin, who broke through to mainstream fame thanks to the acclaimed thriller "Martha Marcy May Marlene," recently directed several episodes of Prime Videos' "Dead Ringers," and produced that miniseries as well as the independent features "Christine" and "The Nest."
Kevin Von Erich told The Dallas Observer in August 2023 that he feels his family's story is in safe hands with Durkin, who told Von Erich that the film was a passion project for him. "[Durkin] said this was a labor of love. [Durkin] said he always wanted to do this. It's something he wanted to do in his life and I think it could really be something good," Von Erich said at the time.
Durkin is also producing the film, with Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, and Angus Lamont representing House Productions. Len Blavatnik, Danny Cohen and Eva Yate are the film's executive producers, all under A24's banner. Additional financing was provided by BBC Film and Access Entertainment.
Is there a trailer for The Iron Claw?
The official trailer for "The Iron Claw" begins with a voiceover from Kevin Von Erich. We watch him running furiously back and forth in the ring, bouncing off the ropes, as we hear him say, "Ever since I was a child, people said my family was cursed. Mom tried to protect us with God. Pop tried to protect us with wrestling."
Then Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" kicks in, a tragically ironic song choice for such a heartbreaking tale. We then see the incredibly tight bond between the Von Erich brothers, and we watch their prowess in the ring. When Kevin is asked what he wants out of life, his response is simple: "I want to be with my family." Unfortunately, that also involves Fritz, and as the trailer unfolds, we see him pressuring, pushing, and abusing his sons — from physical assault to emotional manipulation.
We also watch as the family descends into tragedy, and while their skills in the ring are unparalleled, their lives are crumbling outside the spotlight. The trailer for "The Iron Claw" promises powerhouse performances from the likes of Jeremy Allen White, impressive wrestling sequences, and absolutely heartbreaking drama.
Is The Iron Claw based on a true story?
As noted above, "The Iron Claw" tells the real-life tale of the Von Erich family's life as a mega-popular group of wrestling superstars in the South. While the film seems to be dedicated to authenticity as to the time period and looks for its characters, there do seem to be some discrepancies between the film's reality and what actually occurred.
Thus far the most interesting deviation from the historical record that the film has undertaken is that the youngest Von Erich child, Chris — whose brief ring career was stunted by asthma — does not seem to be represented among the film's characters. There's no word at press time as to whether Chris has been excised entirely from the story, or if he'll have a minor background role. Also missing from the cast thus far are characters representing Kerry Von Erich's daughters, Hollie and Lacey, and Kevin Von Erich's two daughters.
Kevin Von Erich admitted to the Dallas Observer that he hopes the film will set the record straight on at least one point. "If you're gonna go by what's on YouTube, you get a bunch of crap out there. These wrestlers commenting on it hardly knew me, to talk about [how] we were like this or always on drugs. It's just not true." He's also hoping that the film might clear Fritz' name, as he has often been portrayed as a hectoring stage father and a money-grubbing promoter who pushed his sons too far.
The real-life professional wrestlers who will be in The Iron Claw
There will definitely be some real-life wrestling superstars in the cast of "The Iron Claw." Chief among them is Maxwell Jacob Friedman — All Elite Wrestling's MJF — who was cast in the film in November 2022. It was later revealed that Friedman will be playing Lance Von Erich. Despite not being related, Lance was billed as a Von Erich cousin during World Class Championship Wrestling's dying days and was notorious for earning brickbats from Fritz's last remaining fans.
Chavo Guerrero Jr. will appear in the film as notorious wrestling villain The Sheik. Guerrero also has a big part in the behind-the-scenes as a wrestling coordinator for the film. He told Wrestling Inc. in November 2022 that authenticity remains important to him for this project. "I told Marshall and Ross, I said 'Guys, I promise you that I will, at least my part, I will do it justice and I'll make it like I was making it for my own family. Because we're all family. If you grow up in the wrestling business, you're part of this extended family, for sure," he said.
NWA wrestler Brady Pierce plays Michael "P.S." Hayes, one portion of the infamous three-man tag team The Fabulous Freebirds. The Freebirds were a hard-drinking, hard-living bad boy tag team counterpart to the Von Erichs' wholesomeness. Additionally, wrestling actor-producer Ryan Nemeth is slated to play noted World Class heartthrob Gino Hernandez, and Cassidy Riley appears as an unnamed wrestler.
A host of non-wrestling actors will portray real-life professional wrestlers in the film. Stuntman Cazzey Louis Cereghino plays Bruiser Brody, a wild-haired heel who wears a choke collar and chain, and Aaron Dean Eisenberg will play Von Erich rival and wrestling legend Ric Flair.
Efron bulked up in a new way for the role
Zac Efron doesn't naturally have a large build, so playing a professional wrestler necessitated some bulking. After all, he wouldn't seem believable in the role unless he looked the part. This isn't the first time that the actor has had to build muscle mass for a part either, with Efron drastically changing his appearance for the 2017 film "Baywatch," where he starred alongside Dwayne Johnson. Yet the actor was determined not to follow the same method or to have a similar end result as he did for that movie.
Speaking to Men's Health, Efron explained that he now feels that striving for the body type he had in "Baywatch" is unhealthy and far too much work to maintain. He went on to say that for upcoming projects, he also would prefer a more realistic appearance that is actually attainable. "That required Lasix, powerful diuretics, to achieve," he said. "So I don't need to do that. I much prefer to have an extra, you know, 2 to 3 percent body fat."
Desperate to avoid overtraining and eating just three basic meals over and over again, Efron took a new approach to bulking up. That doesn't mean he put any less effort in, though — he still wanted to match the intensity of the real-life figure he was portraying. "The physicality he brought to the ring every single day was really unique. It changed wrestling," Efron told Entertainment Tonight. "I knew that was going to be the hardest [thing] for me to master and get right. So, I put everything I had into it."
The other actors also had to bulk up significantly
Efron was not the only member of the cast who had to bulk up for "The Iron Claw." Those playing the remaining Von Erich brothers also had to match their real-life counterparts in terms of their physicality and appearance, as much as possible anyway. In particular, "The Bear" actor Jeremy Allen White has spoken about the process of increasing his body size to portray a professional wrestler properly.
Speaking to Esquire, White detailed the lengths he went to in order to get the necessary physique — something that wasn't easy and certainly took some sacrifices from the actor to add the extra 40 pounds of muscle. "In the morning, I would have waffles, almond butter," he said in the interview. "In the middle of the day, I was eating turkey patties and avocado all the time. It's really just gross. You're trying to consume as much as you possibly can, and, to be honest, you don't feel great."
According to IndieWire, White accepted early on that it wouldn't be possible for him to match the sheer size of Kerry Von Erich. The real-life wrestler was well-known in the industry for his massive muscles and imposing figure, something that the actor realized was not attainable. "I knew I couldn't get as big as Kerry. I just don't think it was physically possible for me," White said. "I'm a pretty little guy, but I tried. I don't think it's possible for any human on the planet."
The main cast built a close camaraderie
The story of "The Iron Claw" follows the Von Erich family, specifically the four brothers: Kevin, Kerry, David, and Mike. The characters played by Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simons, and Harris Dickinson share the most screen time and are often seen together. Working so closely throughout the shoot created a bond between the four actors and a strong sense of camaraderie.
Efron, White, Simons, and Dickinson took part in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, engaging in the kind of behavior you'd expect from siblings rather than co-workers. This included everything from making fun of each other to proudly boasting about their achievements. The fact that they often trained and ate together while bulking up before shooting and would then take part in full-blow wrestling matches meant they became fast friends.
"Every time I was in a scene with them, it felt right," Simons said. "It felt like we were brothers." Meanwhile, Efron was hopeful that the bond they shared would come through in the film, especially as the group spent so much time improvising and just hanging out while the director captured footage for the movie. Efron, White, and Simons even agreed that they'd be willing to try out professional wrestling for real if given the opportunity.
Director Sean Durkin is a huge wrestling fan
It shouldn't come as a big surprise that director Sean Durkin set about creating a film based on professional wrestling: The filmmaker has been a huge fan of this particular form of entertainment from a young age and has been watching wrestling for decades. He told Yahoo, "I've been a fan of [wrestling] since I was a kid, and I think I was just really drawn to Kevin's story of survival."
Despite growing up in England where professional wrestling isn't as popular or widely shown, Durkin still regularly watched it throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He even took expensive trips to visit any places in the U.K. that were hosting professional wrestlers who were on tour from the U.S. His love of the sport led the young Durkin to regularly rent wrestling videos, where he learned about the Von Erich family and quickly became a fan.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Durkin spoke about how he first learned about how Kerry Von Erich had died and the impression it left on him as a child. In fact, it was this that led him to further research the supposed Von Erich curse. "I still remember that night," he said. "I remember how I felt, and how I'd heard that the other brothers had died. It just really hit me."
Viewers can expect an emotional experience
Those going to watch "The Iron Claw" might want to take some tissues with them as the film is an incredibly emotional experience. Although a film about professional wrestling is not something people would usually think of as a tearjerker, the personal tragedies and heroics on display in "The Iron Claw" mean it comes packed with plenty of trauma. In fact, one reporter noted how a member of the audience at an advanced screening was so overcome that he had to leave the cinema after uncontrollably weeping.
Others who have also seen the film early mentioned that they had cried while watching it. Some also spoke about how the subject matter might make it uncomfortable for those who have dealt with similar tragic incidents, including suicide and child abuse.
Even Zac Efron became emotional when Kevin Von Erich gave his approval after seeing an early screening of the movie. Entertainment Tonight reported the actor talking about his pure joy that Kevin enjoyed the film, and that the experience was a little overwhelming for Efron. "He told me he was happy with it last night, so I'm stoked," he said. "I cried a little bit, if I'm going to be completely honest."
The family trusted the cast and crew
As a biopic, many viewers will be expecting "The Iron Claw" to be accurate when it comes to telling the story of the Von Erich family. A good way of demonstrating this to audiences is getting the surviving Von Erichs on board as supporters of the film. From what members of the family have said so far, it looks promising that "The Iron Claw" is an authentic portrayal of what actually happened.
Speaking to Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, Kevin Von Erich explained how he didn't believe it would be possible for anyone to properly portray his father and the rest of his relatives. He detailed how his niece and Kerry's daughter, Hollie, became emotional after visiting the set and convinced them that the cast and crew were taking the story seriously.
While the Von Erich family has not been heavily involved in the movie, Kevin Von Erich has spoken to the director Sean Durkin as well as the actors, and was seemingly impressed by their interactions. "But anyway, I trust him," said Kevin. "He's a good man ... it's a labor of love for him. So I do trust him like that."
Kevin Von Erich enjoyed the movie and praised Efron's performance
Kevin Von Erich was not just happy with who was making the movie. He also strongly approved of the film after seeing it in an early screening. Zac Efron revealed to Variety that the former professional wrestler was pleased with "The Iron Claw" and enjoyed watching it. From the actor's point of view, this was one of the most important things about the process and something that was vital for the film's success. "It's far and away the most important review to me on so many levels," he said.
One of the most impressive things about "The Iron Claw" according to Kevin is Zac Efron's portrayal of him. Speaking to Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, he explained that he felt that Efron's performance was exceptional and deserving of an Oscar — at least in his opinion. "He did a great job," he said during the interview. "He really did. He should get the Academy Award ... he's got my vote."
He later went on to say that he believes the film accurately portrays the love that he had for his brothers and father, elaborating to explain, "So I have seen the movie now. And I hope people take from that we really loved each other. I love my father, and things were just hard, but life is hard. You got to get tough; life is worth it."
Training wasn't as strict as you might expect
Considering how accurate the film is intended to be and how physically fit the cast had to be to play the Von Erich brothers, the training for the film was not as strict as you may imagine. That doesn't mean that the actors didn't train hard, but it didn't involve the kind of stringent rules and schedules that are typical with this sort of project.
Director Sean Durkin explained that he didn't want to constrain the actors or put them into a box when it came to training for "The Iron Claw." Instead, he trusted them to work at their own pace with their own personal trainers to get the desired results. He also revealed that he chose the cast because of their acting abilities, not their size or physical prowess. "I cast the guys because of who they are as actors and didn't want to give them any sort of guidance on physicality," he told Vanity Fair.
Meanwhile, none of the cast felt in danger because of the good work of the stunt coordinators and director Sean Durkin. Stanley Simons and Jeremy Allen White confirmed that no one ever got seriously injured, although they were often bruised and tired by the end of a day's shooting. The production did go to the extent of purchasing genuine exercise equipment from the 1980s and 1990s, so that the actors could work out between sets using the same tools the Von Erichs did.
Former professional wrestler Chavo Guerrero Jr. helped train the actors
One person who was essential to getting the likes of Zac Efron and James Allen White into shape for "The Iron Claw" was former professional wrestler Chavo Guerrero Jr. He was hired as a wrestling consultant to ensure that all of the action on-screen looked authentic and to teach the actors the basics. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Guerrero Jr. revealed how he managed to get the actors to embrace his training by explaining that wrestling was not that much different from acting and that they had all the necessary skills.
Months before filming took place, the wrestling expert put the cast through their paces, tutoring them on everything from the terminology used within the sport to the right way to carry out the moves used by professional wrestlers. In the early days, this included simply learning the correct way to fall down and land on their backs without hurting themselves.
Guerrero Jr. has been full of praise for his students, confirming that he was lucky to be able to work with people who were so dedicated. He also detailed how quickly the likes of Zac Efron were able to master impressive moves such as a flying crossbody, telling Chris Van Vliet, "Once he did it the one time, he did it 20 times. He could just do it, and do it, and do it, and do it."
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If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org