The Iron Claw's First Trailer Grapples With The Von Erich Brothers' Tragic Legacy
Biographical films have been on the rise lately, with projects like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Elvis," and "Oppenheimer" showcasing the genre's success when done properly. Now, A24 is entering the wrestling ring, bringing the story of one of wrestling's most famous families, the Von Erichs, to the big screen.
The first trailer for "The Iron Claw" takes audiences back to the early 1980s, as the Von Erichs' wrestling dynasty blossoms, with Kerry Von Erich (Jeremy Allen White) joining his brothers, Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) and David Von Erich (Harris Dickinson), in the ring. While the trailer starts on a high note, things quickly take a turn for the worse as family patriarch Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) pushes his five sons to extreme lengths to ensure they maintain his high moral standards in and out of the ring. One by one, most of the brothers succumb to the immense social pressure, facing many problems outside of wrestling and passing away, with three dying by suicide.
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The Iron Claw remains faithful to the Von Erich brothers' story
As is more than evident from the trailer, "The Iron Claw" looks to do justice to the Von Erich family, giving a faithful adaptation to the brothers who helped make professional wrestling the franchise it is today.
During an appearance on the "Haus of Wrestling" podcast, Kevin Von Erich admitted that he's excited to see "The Iron Claw," as everything he heard about the production signals that it'll be a faithful adaptation of his family's story. When Hollie Adkisson, daughter of the late Kerry Von Erich, visited the set and met Holt McCallany, who plays Fritz Von Erich, Von Erich said they both began crying, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions. "It just said to me that these people are really pouring their hearts into this," Von Erich told the podcast. "They really want to do good work. If you try that hard, I really think you're gonna do alright. I can't wait to see it. I think it's going to be a good movie."
As if getting the green light from Kevin Von Erich wasn't enough support for "The Iron Claw," his son, Marshall Von Erich, who did stunt work on the film, tweeted praise for Zac Efron's physical transformation into his father. The actor followed a strict program to bulk up even more to play Kevin Von Erich, proving his dedication to the role and the Von Erich family.