A24 recently released the trailer for The Iron Claw, an eagerly awaited wrestling drama that delves into the storied history of the iconic North Texas Von Erich family.
Written and directed by Sean Durkin, the film narrates the journey of the wrestling dynasty as they ascend to stardom within the cutthroat realm of professional wrestling, all while grappling with personal tragedies within and beyond the ring.
The series of tragedies that struck the family began when Fritz’s first son Jack Adkisson, Jr. was electrocuted and left unconscious by an exposed wire and drowned in a puddle. David Von Erich also died an early death at 25 in Tokyo. There are several contradicting reports as to what led to his death, but it was confirmed by the U.S. Embassy that the brother died of enteritis. Kerry, Mike and Chris Von Erich all died by suicide within a 6-year period.
The film was financed and produced by A24, which has a history of great films such as Uncut Gems and Midsommer and is sure to bring drama to the Kennedy-esque curse of Texas’s most famous wrestling dynasty.
Maura Tierney assumes the role of the boys' mother, Doris, while Holt McCallany, known for his role in Mindhunter, portrays their father, Fritz. Fritz made a name for himself in the 1960s as a wrestler and later encouraged his sons to follow his path, which was the origin of the Von Erich moniker. But it was the elder Von Erich who brought the family's trademark move to prominence: the Iron Claw, a technique in which a wrestler clutches the opponent's face and applies pressure using all five fingers.
Jeremy Allen White, from Shameless and The Bear, is set to play Kerry Von Erich, and Zac Efron has been cast as Kevin Von Erich. Harris Dickinson will be playing the third brother David Von Erich.
Also this year, Kevin Von Erich will be the star of a one-man show on Sept. 1, 2023, at the Majestic Theatre. Stories from the Top Rope will be hosted by former WFAA sports anchor Dale Hansen and will be Von Erich's first public appearance in more than two decades.
The Iron Claw will hit theaters on Dec. 22, 2023.
To see the full trailer click here.