Cinephiles will now be able to appreciate The Iron Claw from home now that the biopic centered on the lives of the Von Erich family has come to MAX.
The Iron Claw tells the tale of the legendary wrestling family and the many tragedies that befall the brothers. An all-star cast includes Zac Efron (The Greatest Showman,) Jeremy Allen-White (The Bear,) and Lily James (Pam And Tommy.) The name of the movie comes from the dreaded ‘Iron Claw’ finisher used by patriarch Fritz Von Erich that was adopted by his sons and others in the family.
Now, the film has come to MAX (formerly HBO MAX) which is the official streaming service of Warner Bros. Discovery. The film hit theaters in December 2023 and grossed $44.2 million worldwide, making it the tenth-highest-grossing movie for acclaimed production studio A24.
The Iron Claw didn’t win any Academy Awards but received praise for its hold-nothing-back approach to the Von Erich family. The New Yorker said that the film is “as exuberant as it is mournful” while The Ringer described it as “a sports movie with genuine existential heft.” Efron’s lead portrayal of Kevin Von Erich has been heralded as arguably the best work of his career.
Check out SE Scoops’ review of The Iron Claw, courtesy of Dominic Deangelo.
The Iron Claw isn’t the first wrestling-themed biopic. In 2019, Fighting With My Family chartered the life and rise of Saraya in WWE, where she worked for years as Paige. In February 2024, it was reported that Dwayne Johnson’s Seven Bucks Production had begun working on a biopic about Ric Flair.
Some movies hit too close to home. Others hit close enough.
I had friends whose father’s were in Vietnam. They weren’t interested in spending two hours watching Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Tropic Thunder or Good Morning, Vietnam.
My dad was a firefighter. If Ron Howard’s Backdraft wanted a seal of approval, the pyrotechnic scenes were enough to make my dad turn it off. He’s never seen it and doesn’t want to. He had been in the room with his oxygen running out and the fire races up the corner of the wall enough times – he didn’t need to see Kurt Russell deal with it.
Probably the best example I know involved the Atlanta Olympic bomber.
A journalist friend of mine was in Olympic Park the night Richard Jewell saved hundreds when a terrorist bomb went off. He reviewed music for a sister paper of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was the only reporter who was in the park. He couldn’t leave and no one could get in.
He walked the area, seen the mangled bodies of people he knew who had made the trip to the Olympics. He handed notes to other reporters by crime scene tape, some written on napkins or whatever he could find. I think he told me he had blood on him at some point, but he wasn’t sure who’s it was.
When Clint Eastwood’s movie Richard Jewell was released in 2019. Jewell was played by Paul Walter Hauser. My reporter friend nearly yelled at me when I asked if he would see the movie. It wasn’t something he wanted to live again or feel again, whether fictional, on film or otherwise.
I’ve never had a movie hit too close to home like my dad, my friend’s father or my fellow reporter. But I’ve had several hit close enough, and that’s how I felt about The Iron Claw.
I’m old enough to remember the Von Erichs on ESPN and the amazing World Class product at that time. I remember seeing them on the covers of magazines at the grocery store. I remember Kerry Von Erich in the WWF and wondered why an idiot would call him the Texas Tornado.
In the late 80s, I dealt with suicide before I was even a teenager. In elementary school a classmate told me he was going to kill himself. I was young and I still don’t understand everything that happened, but I alerted a teacher, and then came a principal. Later, I assumed he took something. I don’t know. I never saw him again but was told everything was fine.
In middle school a friend of mine was found dead in the closet of a juvenile detention home. We were in seventh grade.
I heard news snippets through those years about Mike and Chris Von Erich, and then Kerry. Some things are too bad to imagine. War is one, family tragedy on this scale was another. Other families had similar tragedies, and the Von Erichs weren’t alone even in wrestling with the Grahams, or even in Dallas at the time of Kerry’s death.
I talked to Kevin Von Erich once in the early 2000s for a short time. He was a guest on Chairshots Radio with my friend Rod Siciliano. I had called him to ask a few questions about World Class. To call him patient is an understatement. To call him nice doesn’t do him justice.
I’ve dealt with enough death inside and outside the wrestling business to want to watch it as entertainment.
When I heard The Iron Claw was in pre-production I was more dismayed than surprise. When I saw Zac Efron attached, I was shocked. I couldn’t understand why an A-list actor would want to tell this story, or what could come of it.
With A24 as the studio, I became confused. Sometimes you’re close enough you can’t see what others see in a story.
Sean Durkin Does the Impossible
Last weekend I finally watched the movie. Almost daring myself to, despite not wanting any part of it since I heard the project started. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was seeing how close the film came to nailing a David Von Erich promo with Kerry and Kevin standing by him.
To put how one particular scene moved me is too hard without sharing how much film I’ve watched and how much I’ve written about it. It needs perspective.
I’ve watched thousands of movies in my life, and written movie reviews for too many websites and blogs to count.
I’ve written essays and obituaries for RogerEbert.com. An essay I wrote about movie, The Right Stuff, after John Glenn’s death, earned me a comment from Chuck Yeager’s official Twitter account. (A family member, typing instead for him, said they had read my essay to Chuck, whose opinion of my work was, “Other than being full of shit, wasn’t half bad,” which I still consider as one of my proudest moments as a writer.)
Out of all those films I can hardly remember a scene as cathartic, as emotional, as sentimental and one as close to the heart as one I saw in The Iron Claw.
Inhale enough pop culture, social media, music, film it will numb you to the ups and downs normal riders take in a movie theater or sitting on your couch or recliner
There’s also this other problem called life. Life turns into a mix of wanting to sleep, apathy, weariness and wishing for just five seconds you could feel what you did at Christmas when you were 10, or at a family gathering with all your cousins, or what it was like the first time you took your son or daughter or home from the hospital. To have a parent or grandparent back for a second, or a long-forgotten day with childhood friends.
The Iron Claw gave me that moment and after some research I wasn’t the only one. It pulls the humanity that’s covered with callouses out and reminds you why you watch movies or why dumb kids in Ohio watch wrestling families in Texas.
I wondered what kind of madman would want to write and direct a Von Erich and what Sean Durkin could possibly tell that hasn’t been re-told tearfully for over 30 years.
The direction and design is flawless. It’s 1985 back to life. The main cast is magical, especially Lily James, Maureen Tierney and Holt McCallany, whose performance is career-making.
The best moments are between Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simons and Harris Dickinson as the brothers, whose performance is almost as a foursome than a four contrasting actors.
The approach is what makes the movie work. The world and parents fail them, as do the notions of who they should be, but the brothers haven’t failed each other in Durkin’s telling.
Efron is the most featured, and carries a weight on his back and in his look that’s both drastic and painful to watch. Efron’s Kevin crying and telling his own sons he “used to be a brother” is a blow that rocks as hard as the other moment delivers in comfort.
Chris Von Erich isn’t mentioned, but blended with Mike. It’s an unfortunate part of making a film like this. But Efron, Durkin and company do right by the family and have earned a long-time fan in doing so. Efron with his graceful, soulful and heavy performance. Durkin in the way I least expected.
Durkin does what the best directors and writers have always done, from Quentin Tarantino to John Ford. But he is a rare exception that has them beat in one major respect.
He doesn’t make his movie the way it should have been, but in how we hope it was and in that way, he did the impossible. He gave a graceful fictional ending to an enduring American family tragedy.
Moviegoers who attended a screening of The Iron Claw in Brazil got more than they bargained for when a real wrestling match happened live.
The biopic delves into the lives, careers, and many tragedies of the Von Erich family. Zac Efron plays Kevin Von Erich alongside Jeremy Allen White (Kerry) and Harris Dickinson (David). Several wrestlers appear in the film including MJF (as Lance Von Erich), Chavo Guerrero Jr. (Ed ‘The Sheik’ Farhat), and Ryan Nemeth (Gino Hernandez).
Match at The Iron Claw
During a screening of the biopic in Brazil, a wrestling match broke out in a video clip that has gone viral on social media. The moviegoers in Brazil were certainly surprised by the match but cheered for both wrestlers. It’s currently unclear which wrestler won the match.
Cut Role
In the run-up to the release of The Iron Claw, much was said about MJF, who was confirmed to have a role as Lance Von Erich. MJF would even reference the role during his post-World Championship win appearance after Full Gear 2022. When the film hit screens though, fans learned that MJF’s role had been greatly reduced. While initially planned for three scenes, MJF has no dialogue in a blink-and-you-miss-it role.
The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw was snubbed in the Academy Award nominations but has been a hit with audiences. Music sensation Adele had high praise for The Iron Claw, calling it her favorite film of 2023. One aspect of the film fans didn’t like was the portrayal of Ric Flair which wrestling fans felt was nothing like the actual Nature Boy.
A24’s The Iron Claw has proven to be a hit among wrestling fans and movie-goers alike, and pop sensation Adele has also been impressed.
The biopic delves into the lives, careers, and many tragedies of the Von Erich family. Zac Efron plays Kevin Von Erich alongside Jeremy Allen White (Kerry) and Harris Dickinson (David). Several wrestlers appear in the film including MJF (as Lance Von Erich), Chavo Guerrero Jr. (Ed ‘The Sheik’ Farhat), and Ryan Nemeth (Gino Hernandez).
Adele Praises The Iron Claw
At her latest Weekends With Adele residency show, the british musician had plenty of praise for The Iron Claw. Adele, known for hits including Hello, Someone Like You, and Rolling in the Deep, even went as far as to call the Von Erich biopic her favorite film of the past year.
“There’s loads of great movies, but if you haven’t seen it, [The] Iron Claw was my favorite movie of the year. It’s about a very famous American wrestling family… f*****g phenomenal. They’re all amazing. But [The] Iron Claw, I was so blown away by Zac Efron in that movie and after it I cried for three hours… So [The] Iron Claw is the best movie I’ve seen all year. Watch it if you haven’t seen it.”
The sold-out The Colosseum at Caesars Palace crowd erupted in agreement with Adele’s review of the film. The film is currently in cinemas in the United States and is set to be released in Adele’s native UK very soon.
Zac Efron’s role as Kevin Von Erich will soon be immortalized in a unique way…
Popular film company A24 has been praised for their biographical drama The Iron Claw, based on Kevin Von Erich and the rest of the Von Erich family. The film was released in the United States on December 21, 2023, and is currently enjoying critical and financial success. To celebrate the film’s performance, A24 has announced the upcoming release of their action figure based on the film.
On Twitter, A24 revealed an action figure of Zac Efron’s portrayal of Kevin and shared that it will be available for pre-order soon. It will be the first merchandise released from the film on their website.
“Bringing the Iron Claw to YOU. Available for pre-order on the A24 Shop next month: the official Zac Efron-as-Kevin Von Erich Action Figure,” wrote A24.
The film company added that it will also come with a warm-up jacket for the action figure seen in the movie. It’s unclear if A24 plans to release other action figures based on The Iron Claw, like Jeremy Allen White’s role as Kerry Von Erich.
The back of the package for their upcoming action figure, besides Efron and White, also has Holt McCallany(Fritz Von Erich), Harris Dickinson (David Von Erich), and Stanley Simons(Mike Von Erich). The success of their first action figure could possibly lead to more with the rest of the Von Erich Family featured in the film.
No official release date has been shared from A24. However, fans in the comment section have pointed out that the film has yet to be released worldwide.
The Iron Claw Box Office & Future Release In Other Countries
Business Report’s Dillion Lowe shared that the film was made on a $15 million budget. According to Box Office Mojo, it has grossed over $29 million in the United States. Although The Iron Claw has made a profit, it hasn’t been available to people in different parts of the world.
The film is slowly being released in other countries this year and three countries in the last two weeks. Box Office Mojo has shared that the film has been released in the United Arab Emirates(January 4), Russia (January 11) and Iceland (January 12). All three countries boosted sales for a combined over $181 thousand.
Digital Spy’s Sam Warner reported that the film will go to theaters in the United Kingdom on February 9. It’s unclear if the movie will go to other markets like Japan, France, and Mexico. A24’s film could cross well over $30 million at the box office, but it may not be as much as it could’ve been. The long wait will have the film competing with newer releases in different countries.
Regardless, A24’s The Iron Claw is already a success and will try to add more revenue with their upcoming action figure.
The Hollywood star helped to make waves for the recently released biopic surrounding the heartbreak and tragedy behind The Von Erich family and it didn’t hit a note with just movie goers, but Efron himself.
Efron took to his social media to pen a short love letter showing his appreciation for all of the talent that make a decision to step inside the squared circle and points out one star in particular.
Notable WWE stars took a moment to commend both for their work on “The Iron Claw” including Natalya, Chelsea Green and Mojo Rawley.
Guerrero was a recent interview of SEScoops and went into detail behind the training process, particularly with Holt McCallany, who portrayed the patriach of the Von Erich family, Fritz.
It may have been years since Zac Efron donned the basketball jersey of Troy Bolton, but his time with High School Musical would help him prep for The Iron Claw.
The A24 biopic delves into the lives, careers, and many tragedies of the Von Erich family. Efron plays Kevin Von Erich alongside Jeremy Allen White (Kerry) and Harris Dickinson (David). Several wrestlers appear in the film including MJF (as Lance Von Erich), Chavo Guerrero Jr. (Ed ‘The Sheik’ Farhat), and Ryan Nemeth (Gino Hernandez).
Zac Efron on Dancing & Wrestling
Speaking to W Magazine, Efron spoke about how his background in dance, such as those seen in High School Musical, helped prepare him for the world of professional wrestling.
“Dancing and wrestling are surprisingly similar. There’s a choreographed element to both, and the more you do it, the better you get. Also, just the sense of moving with a partner: Sometimes you lead, and sometimes you’re holding on to the other guy. The learning curve for wrestling is you just go for it. For stuff like climbing up on the ropes and jumping off, you’ve just got to nut up and go for it. There’s no real practicing.”
Efron admitted to not being a wrestling fan growing up but chalked this up to him and his brother being banned from watching the sport. In the interview, Efron added that people often sing songs from High School Musical to mess with him, and The Iron Claw proved to be no exception.
“We had a scene where we show up to a party where Stanley, I think, is singing a song. He performed it live, and then they just continued to move on to another song, and it was something from High School Musical. I had to stay in character while that was going on, and everybody else was just losing it.”
Could Zac Efron one day step into the ring for real at an event for AEW? Don’t count it out! Click here to find out more.
The Iron Claw film brought the Von Erich Family’s story to the masses, and that R-Rated film is currently in theaters. The actor who played Ric Flair in the film also received a ton of attention, but the pro wrestling community was not kind about how he portrayed The Nature Boy.
The Iron Claw’s Ric Flair Actor Speaks Out
The actor who took on the role of Ric Flair in The Iron Claw film faced severe criticism. Aaron Dean Eisenberg, the man behind the portrayal, is now addressing the negative feedback he received for his depiction of The Nature Boy.
During an interview on Man Cave Chronicles, Aaron Dean Eisenberg provided insights into his approach to playing Ric Flair. He acknowledged the challenges and the mixed reactions his performance garnered
“It’s been interesting. I feel Flair is definitely an idol for some people, so they really hold him in high regard and sort of expect a certain thing for him. I’ve gotten a lot of love, but also a lot of hate, which is very new for me. It’s certainly a polarizing performance.”
The Iron Claw’s Reception
Despite the film earning praise from both critics and audiences, wrestling fans, it only pulled around $5 million in its opening weekend. Compared to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Migration, and Wonka, it did not stack up. That being said, it’s harder for R-Rated films to draw compared to those family-friendly options.
Critics on the internet were exceptionally harsh toward Aaron Dean Eisenberg, despite his dedicated effort. It seems that he is not letting it bother him. If anything, this acting credit on his IMDB page was definitely noteworthy.
Friedman played the role of the fake Von Erich cousin, “Lance Von Erich,” but you only just saw his face briefly in a tag match with Zac Efron, who was Kevin Von Erich in the film.
Wrestling fans were shocked that so little was used of MJF, but speaking with
ComicBook.com, the champ kept a good perspective on it, primarily hoping for the film to be successful.
“I want this film to succeed, and the film needed to be about the brothers. As fun as I had shooting that scene, realistically, it didn’t add to the overarching story and the importance of the story between the brothers and what they were going through in dealing with the pressures that their father put on them. It didn’t fit in the pieces of the puzzle.”
MJF actually was an executive producer on the production as “The Iron Claw” released everywhere on December 22. There were several other wrestlers involved in the film. Ryan Nemeth of AEW actually played Gino Hernandez while Chavo Guerrero Jr. portrayed The Original Sheik. Other popular independent names like Will Allday, Luke Hawx and even Shane Taylor helped do stunts for the film.
According to Dave Meltzer, “The Iron Claw” is estimated to make $5.06 million the first weekend at the box office, and was estimated to finish at $7.5 million after Christmas evening. Overall for theaters nationwide, the movie came in sixth place overall with the breadwinner being Aquaman.
From a ratings standpoint, “Iron Claw” got 87% positive reviews and an audience score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Chavo Guerrero trained all the actors in preparation for “The Iron Claw,” but one of them did some added work in light of playing a pro wrestling patriach.
Speaking with SEScoops’ Dominic DeAngelo, Guerrero spoke to the level of commitment by veteran actor Holt McCallany, who took on the role of Fritz Von Erich in the new film by A24.
Before production even started, McCallany, who is greatly known for his work on Netflix’s Mindhunter, already put some time in the squared circle.
“He comes on set and it wasn’t like he just stepped foot in the ring. He went like a month out. He went to Gleason’s gym in New York and was getting trained in pro wrestling by Johnny Rodz who’s a family friend. He was great friends with my dad. So when he came on, I was like,’Wow, like he put the effort,’ he was already ready to go and he’s an ex-boxer.’ So Holt’s a very intense guy, anyway. So he was ready to go.”
As a matter of fact, Guerrero talked about having to slow Holt’s intensity down as he brought the brute out for Von Erich.
“He was like, ‘Man, I’m really gonna have to hit it hard.’ And I said, ‘No, you don’t, We’re going to make it look like you’re hitting it hard,’ and I kind of had to untrain him at certain things to retrain him the way I wanted him to do things, but he’s a he’s a like he’s a baller, man. He’s a pro. He’s a professional I mean in every sense of the word.”
You can catch both Guerrero and McCallany on screen now as “The Iron Claw” is available in theaters everywhere. You can watch SEScoop’s full video review of the film below.
The Iron Claw was released to theaters on December 22nd, and reviews are coming in. While some have taken digs at historical inaccuracies in the film, condensing events, and not focusing on certain elements of the story, the internet has zeroed in on their own target: Aaron Dean Eisenberg.
Ric Flair Actor In The Iron Claw Panned
Aaron Dean Eisenberg plays Ric Flair in The Iron Claw film, and the reviews for his performance were not kind at all. Even Don Callis saw this performance, and he couldn’t find anything good to say at all.
Don Callis ripped on Aaron Dean Eisenberg’s Ric Flair walk, his cadence, and said that Will Ferrell would have done a better job portraying The Nature Boy.
Wow. Brutal. He couldn’t even get the walk right. Literally Will Ferrell doing Ashley Schaefer is far superiort
The Internet Wrestling Community had a field day with this. Many were mocking Aaron Dean Eisenberg’s performance, and they were expectedly savage about it. After all, pro wrestling fans aren’t known to be gentle critics.
Wow. Brutal. He couldn't even get the walk right. Literally Will Ferrell doing Ashley Schaefer is far superior https://t.co/cnxqg8Z0sT
The Iron Claw didn’t do tremendously in the box office, pulling in around $5 million, which put them under much larger films like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ($28,100,000), Wonka ($17,700,000), and Migration ($12,310,000).
The Iron Claw may not have performed in an outstanding way, but it did well for an R-Rated film. In fact, it achieved a notable box office milestone, aligning with its estimated $20 million budget, meaning that the film will hopefully be profitable in time.
The Iron Claw finally arrived after decades of pro wrestling fans proclaiming that the Von Erich Family’s incredible story deserves their own feature film. Now, we are getting the numbers after the film’s first few days in the theaters.
The Iron Claw Opening Weekend Box Office
The Iron Claw dropped on December 22nd, but their opening weekend box office did not deliver as many expected. The R-Rated film also received a ton of promotion, with trailers playing during commercial breaks for weeks.
According to Dave Meltzer’s update on FW Daily Update, The Iron Claw is estimated to bring in $5.06 million in 2,774 theaters in week one. That number equals out to around $1,824 per screen.
About The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw tells the story of the Von Erich brothers in the fiercely competitive world of professional wrestling during the early 1980s. Amidst moments of tragedy and triumph, the brothers strive for larger-than-life recognition on the grand stage of pro wrestling. All the while, they must navigate the influence of their authoritative father and coach.
MJF was an executive producer on The Iron Claw, and he also played Lance Von Erich in the film. He didn’t have a ton of screen time, which some fans commented on as well.
The Iron Claw’s Competition
According to The Numbers, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom brought in $28,100,000 and Wonka earned $17,700,000. Also, Migration brought in younger fans as well, with $12,310,000.
The Iron Claw isn’t finished making money yet. There is still streaming and DVD release market after its theatrical run. Still, it didn’t pull in a ton of money in its opening weekend.
Chavo Guerrero Jr. knows all about having family in the pro wrestling business along with the generational pressure that comes with it, but he believes Dom Mysterio is bucking the convention.
Throughout his wrestling career, Chavo had carved out his own unique path, so much that it led to him working in Hollywood and becoming an intrical part of A24’s “The Iron Claw” set to release this Friday.
Much like he did with the critically-acclaimed GLOW on Netflix, Guerrero trained all the actors in the ring for the wrestling scenes in Iron Claw, as they tell the emotionally heavy story of The Von Erich family. It’s evident his teachings left an impression on the cast as in promotion for the film, particularly Jeremy Allen White, who plays the legendary Kerry Von Erich.
“You know, I was very proud when I heard him say that and then the rest of the wrestlig community was as well. They’re like, ‘Wow, this guy gets it.’
“He really he understood that because that’s storytelling. That’s what he does in movies. It’s not the car crash. The car crash helps tell the story, but the car crash itself is not the story. The moves help tell the story, but the moves themselves are not story. And that’s I think it’s lost in today’s wrestling little bit because these guys are incredible athletes, and they’re doing great moves. But I just think sometimes the storytelling needs to be worked on a little bit as well. They could probably do less moves and tell a better story.”
Chavo adds that he has learned just as much from White and the rest of the cast as they learned from him, noting that he would have been a better wrestler if he somehow got involved in Hollywood first.
Dom Mysterio Is Ahead Of The Generational Game
During his analysis of the “little details” with Jeremy Allen White, Guerrero uses both Randy Orton and Rey Mysterio as examples to how they make the moves mean something in their storytelling. That prompted a discussion on Dom Mysterio who Chavo is extremely impressed with.
“He’s doing so great. He’s far above where he should be. You know, I said, he’s not supposed to be this good, but, you know, he had some trials growing up.
“If you remember, when he first started, fans were didn’t really like them that much. They were kind of like, ‘Hey, this kid is not ready, I don’t know if he’s gonna live up to the Mysterio name.’ Well, we all felt that. Every second/third generation [wrestler] felt the same thing because you sometimes get the door open, but every second or third generation actor has felt the same way or any performer.”
Iron Claw releases everywhere in theaters on Friday, December 22 and you can catch Chavo playing The Original Sheik in the film.
Could Zac Efron one day compete in an AEW ring following the release of The Iron Claw? Don’t count it out according to the Greatest Showman actor.
The Iron Claw delves into the lives and numerous tragedies of the Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would also find success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still a force in wrestling today with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
Zac Efron in AEW?
Efron’s performance has been heralded by critics and we could soon see more of the star in the Squared Circle. In a recent interview with The Masked Man Show, Efron was asked about the possibility of stepping into the ring and named AEW as a possible destination.
“It’d be fun if we could get in there with some of the guys we worked with, with Chavo [Guerrero ]or even the Von Erichs coming back with AEW. I’d love to do something with them. If we had some time and prep and, especially if we were all out there together, that would be fun as hell. Who knows. Don’t count it out, that’s for sure.”
Chavo Guerrero worked as the wrestling choreographer for The Iron Claw, and was very impressed with Efron. The Von Erichs, represented by Kevin, Russ, and Marshall, appeared on last week’s episode of AEW Rampage which was fittingly filmed in Texas. The segment saw Kevin deliver the Iron Claw to Jake Hager.
Check out SE Scoops’ official (spoiler-free) review of The Iron Claw by clicking here.
Sean Durkin made the most difficult decision of his career when working on The Iron Claw, the director/writer/producer has revealed.
The Iron Claw delves into the lives and numerous tragedies of the Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would also find success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still a force in wrestling today with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
Sean Durkin’s Hardest Decision
While The Iron Claw features plenty of members of the legendary wrestling family, Chris Von Erich isn’t featured in the A24 biopic. The smallest of the brothers, Chris faced several health problems that limited his success in the ring. Following the suicide of his brother Mike in 1987, Chris took his own life on September 12, 1991.
Speaking to Uproxx, Durkin was asked about the decision not to include Chris and admitted it was a tough call for him to make.
“I’ve never had a more difficult decision to make as a writer. I care so deeply, so it was painful. But you have to make tough decisions and you have to do what’s best to get the film made. I wrote this script for seven years and Chris was in it for a long time.
“So there was a point where it became clear that if you separate yourself from the emotional connection to the family and to real life, you have to separate and say, okay, well, this is a movie, these are characters, and the movie just cannot withstand another death at that point in the movie.”
The Iron Claw will be released in cinemas across the United States next week. For a behind-the-scenes look at the new film, click here.
Wrestling fans are looking forward to seeing The Iron Claw on December 22, which is a biographical film based on the lives of The Von Erich family. Early reviews of the film have praised it, and it currently has a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes with 52 reviews. One of the notable things that critics have praised about the movie has been Zac Efron’s performance as Kevin Von Erich.
In the film’s early stages, it became evident how much Efron took it seriously. He shocked fans when photos were taken of him on the set in incredible shape to play his role. Efron has looked in shape for past roles, but he noticeably put on more muscle than he ever had for a movie. This sparked more intrigue in the film, as it showed how dedicated Efron and other actors like Jeremy Allen White were to play members of the Von Erich family.
Zac Efron’s scene in The Iron Claw
In an interview with The Variety, Efron shared how he got physically prepared for the role and is a perfectionist. This made him obsessed with getting in shape for the movie.
The Variety’s Daniel D’Addario transcribed the following quotes.
“That necessity to be perfect — it became an obsession,” said Efron. He added, “It was a singular focus for months. And your life goes out the window during prep.”
It’s noted that Efron worked out for portions of a day and gained 15 pounds of muscle in the early stages of preparing for his role.
More on Zac Efron Getting In Shape For Kevin Von Erich
While fans were surprised by Efron’s transformation for the film, co-stars also were impressed with his commitment. White joked during his appearance on The Jimmy Kimmel Show on November 28 that he didn’t want to stand near Efron to avoid comparison on their conditioning for The Iron Claw.
When speaking on his training style, Efron shared that after he gained 15 pounds of muscle, he focused on bodybuilding.
“…I was able to incorporate old-school body-building and Olympic lifting and really achieved that specific look of pro wrestlers, which was really hard,” said Efron.
The work seemed to have paid off as his incredible condition added to his acting for most critics. His performance in the film has also created chatter from people who saw the film that he could be up for an Oscar next year.
SEScoops’ Dominic DeAngelo will have a review of the film coming soon!
Dave Batista may have yet to become a WWE Hall of Famer, but the Animal continues to make an impact in Hollywood. In the latest trailer for Dune: Part Two, Batista can be seen reprising his role as Glossu Rabban. Dune: Part Two, the sequel to the 2021 sci-fi epic, will be released in cinemas on March 1.
John Cena Proud of Zac Efron
This week saw the premiere of The Iron Claw, the new biopic about the lives, careers, and tragedies of the Von Erich family. John Cena was at the premiere and was spotted with AEW World Champion MJF. Taking to Twitter, Cena said he was proud of film lead Zac Efron for his role as Kevin Von Erich. The Iron Claw will be released on December 22.
Incredibly proud of @ZacEfron for an outstanding performance in @A24’s #TheIronClaw. Thank you for doing the work to help introduce a new audience to one of our industry’s most important families.
In the main event of this week’s Raw, Shinsuke Nakamura faced Cody Rhodes. Rhodes won by DQ after Nakamura sprayed the American Nightmare with the Asian Mist. Nakamura would also attack Rhodes after the match. On Twitter, Brandi Rhodes had some choice words for the King of Strong Style.
‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio has impressed plenty of people since joining The Judgment Day at Clash at the Castle last year. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Chavo Guerrero shared his take on the self-professed ex-con.
“Dominik Mysterio is killing it. He’s doing so good. He’s far beyond where he should be. As far as being good as well. It’s pretty cool to see them doing all this stuff.”
One of the most buzzed-about films this holiday season is A24’s The Iron Claw. Yes, it centers on pro wrestling but the story transcends the ring. The movie follows the life of Kevin Von Erich and the Von Erich family, which was snake-bitten by a string of unspeakable tragedies.
From the outside looking in, they were Texas royalty during the peak of patriarch Fritz’s World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) based in Dallas. Given the project was written and directed by Sean Durkin, who happens to be a big fan, you know a lot of time and care went into making sure the presentation was as authentic as possible.
This was not only a unified goal by the star-studded cast including Zac Efron (Kevin Von Erich), Jeremy Allen White (Kerry Von Erich), Harris Dickinson (David Von Erich), Lily James (Pam Adkisson), and others. It trickled down to the unsung heroes working on set behind the scenes as well.
The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw: The Interview
Jennifer Starzyk (Costume Designer), Elle Favorule (Makeup Department Head), and Natalie Shea Rose (Hair Department Head) got together to discuss their process. Favorule in particular was no stranger to pro wrestling, working on Lucha Underground.
“That show beautifully combined live wrestling matches with a scripted vignette series,” she said. “Being a part of that was so exciting. I was immediately sucked in. I knew nothing about wrestling or the amazing characters that were coming in. The athleticism that these people brought each day and doing multiple matches a day. I was like, ‘You guys got me hooked.’ The fans surround the entire world with luchadors from Mexico and worldwide stars from WWE and other places. That was my first foray.”
A24
For Rose, the movie was a trip down memory lane. An admitted Hulkamaniac growing up, she was fully transfixed by the 1980s larger-than-life figure. “I knew going into it how much all these characters meant to the fans because they were my heroes,” Rose said. “Up until my parents told me I had to stop watching because me and my brother would wrestle each other. They were like, “I don’t know if we want you watching this anymore.”
Starzyk makes no bones about the fact she did not watch wrestling, know wrestling, and even had those preconceived notions about it. The cynical perspective softened as she became more immersed and went down the proverbial rabbit hole. Now Starzyk considers herself a fan with a newfound respect for the craft.
“It’s live theater, it’s so dynamic, so electric. These performers need to know the choreography and work together. There is showmanship and costumes. I feel it’s a gift getting to know wrestling now. I enjoyed all that. Not to mention we’re all in this with Sean. He was such a beloved fan of this and the story, so when you hear him talking when we first met. It touches people.”
The new admirer hit the ground running on costumes with her team. Her deep dive included watching Dark Side of the Ring, Heroes of World Class Wrestling, and sifting through the Von Erich’s photo albums. It’s where she got a sense of the vibe, presentation, and feel for the time and atmosphere. Another source was binging 13 seasons of the classic TV series Dallas.
Rose had her own experiences being from Houston and spending time on the family ranch in Buffalo, Texas. She knew, when it came to things like hair for example, people in Dallas wore their hair different than in other cities and regions.
“It’s not the 1980s where everyone is glammed up or done up. Out in the country, [the Von Erich’s] were rock stars, but weren’t done all up the same way…They didn’t do their hair like when you see the 1970s or 1980s portrayed. It was about keeping that authenticity.”
A24
When it comes to period pieces, authenticity is key. And this trio knew they wanted to get it painstakingly right. For Favorule, the baseline was the understanding that these were real people. The challenge was to show the change in years and look visually. But with so much bandwidth, it was about finding the middle ground. Quality photos also weren’t the best. This made it harder to zoom in on the little things.
“Did the guys shave their legs? What’s the tan situation like? We’re getting into the nitty gritty,” Favorule explained. “…Zac, Jeremy, and Harris multiple times have told the story where during our camera test Zac and Jeremy meet for the first time and Jeremy is in my chair and my key Courtney is on the ground full body shaving Jeremy. As Zac walks in to introduce himself, everyone starts laughing because this is the world we’re going to be in the next few months. So get ready.”
A few liberties here and there have to be taken in the world of cinema. However, when it came to all aspects of pro wrestling, the team was thankful to have great experts on set at all times. The pro wrestlers themselves include consultant Chavo Guerrero, who brings a wealth of knowledge from his own time in the ring but on the sets of GLOW and Young Rock. He also portrays Edward “The Sheik” Farhat in the film.
“He taught me how they tuck in their laces of boots or where a knee pad should feel,” Starzk said. “[The wrestlers] were so open to wanting to dress up as people they admired as well. The clothes fit differently than back then. Especially, with our main boys. The Von Erich trunks were higher and worn up to their belly button where now they wear them down. Zac would want to pull them up where we’re like, ‘No, it’s down.’ We met in the model where it should fit on the body.
She continued: “When Chavo put on The Sheik trunks, he was like this is the most covered I think I’ve ever been almost a big diaper with a camel on it. They were so much fun to work with because they were such decent people and wanted the film to be a hit as well.”
MJF and The Iron Claw
Other familiar faces fans may know who helped on set were Ryan Nemeth (Gino Hernandez) and Brady Pierce (Michael Hayes), and of course, AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (Lance Von Erich). All three speak highly of MJF, describing a different side of him many may not see away from the bright lights of the arenas. Favorule recalls one particular moment when Durkin let his mega fan flag wave.
“We spent a day with him in the trailer testing out hair and makeup making sure we brought the character to life. Natalie and her team were working on wig stuff and Sean was like, ‘How is he? Can I go in there and say hi?’ He was so excited to get in there with him. MJF was the loveliest. He was so excited to be there. That energy transcended every department.”
Starzyk added: “Maxwell was a total blast on set. I watched him before and was like, “I got to get the answer on this Burberry scarf. He had just won the title and it had this Burberry print on his belt because you can customize the belts.
He was delightful and a blast, funny, professional, and rolled with it… He even asked to keep this purple jumpsuit.”
The three were individually touched by the finished product. “It’s easy to get swept up in these emotional performances because they are so real and true,” Favorule said. “Getting to see it, I remember being in Dallas and looking at the screen it’s so easy to nitpick your work. Then these big emotional scenes come up and then that washes away and I‘m focused on this film…Being able to be part of the story that means so much to so many people, I looked back at my fiancée, and she had tears streaming down. She was like, “I think I need to call my brothers. It was that sort of film. I think everyone will take something different from it.
Starzyk was moved by Kevin Von Erich, not only by his touching story but how he has weathered the black cloud of tragedy. Despite the loss of so much of his family, the Hall of Famer has somehow persevered. “He had to overcome so much, I have so much admiration for him,” she said. “I said that to him at the premiere and he was like, ‘I’m a regular guy and stuff happened to me.’ That’s the person he is. It’s a choice to wrestle barefoot, be Zen, and move to Hawaii. Those things give him a sense of being grounded.”
Getting confirmation of a job well done by the family also filled Rose’s heart. It also was a further motivator and source of inspiration.
“While we were shooting Kerry’s daughters came up to me. We also had Kevin’s sons. “They were like, “That’s what dads’ hair looked like. That meant a lot to me that we did it right and did it justice.”
Chavo Guerrero has praised the efforts of the upcoming The Iron Claw as a service to the legendary Von Erich family.
The Iron Claw delves into the lives and numerous tragedies of the Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would also find success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still a force in wrestling today with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
Chavo Guerrero on The Iron Claw
Chavo Guerrero is, like so many, excited to see The Iron Claw in cinemas later this month. The ex-Superstar is tied to the film as the official wrestling coordinator and has worked with the cast to create an accurate and compelling performance. Appearing on the Insight podcast, Guerrero spoke about the film and how it effectively represents the Von Erichs.
“It’s doing one of the most influential families a service. It’s portraying their story and not making it a martyr film… They’re actually making this movie, a really true awesome movie. It’s not a wrestling movie. It’s about a family who happens to be wrestlers.”
Working with the Cast
Guerrero’s role as the film’s wrestling coordinator is the latest big project that the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion has been tied to. On the podcast, Guerrero spoke about the connections he was able to make with the cast of The Iron Claw.
“I’ve created a bond. Wrestling creates a bond with people. Being on the road and traveling, being in the trenches with other wrestlers of course but also when I’m training actors, there’s this trust we have to build with each other.”
You squish in as much as you can, whatever they can absorb. Every actor is different. Zac [Efron] was able to absorb a lot so we kind of sped him through it but I threw a lot at him. When you’re creating a scene, there are a lot of things you have to take into consideration. We have to take in the script, what the director wants, how the DP [Director of Photography] wants to shoot it. But also what your actors can and can’t perform. So you have to work within the parameters.
“Once I can get them to give me trust and just know that I’m never going to put them in harm’s way. Safety is the number one port of order for me. Of course we’ve got to get the shot I have an actor to protect. So the number one thing is safety and I won’t let them do anything that I’m sure they can’t repeat a hundred times. It’s one of those things. You know there are fluke accidents and freak accidents that happen.”
Guerrero added that in a way, the actors of the film already know some of the fundamentals of wrestling, even if they don’t know that they know.
“I explain to my actors, the same thing with my GLOW girls, everybody on that awesome Netflix show. I explain to them, ‘Y’all know how to wrestle. You just don’t know you know yet.’ They’re like ‘What do you mean?’ So I portray it to acting a lot. What do you do in acting? You’re convincing the studios that you’re better looking than you are, you’re a better actor than you are, you’re taller than you are. You’re much more handsome or much more beautiful than you are actually are.
“That’s what I’ve been doing in wrestling for the last 25 years. People, every time they see me they go ‘Gosh you’re a lot bigger.’ Yeah, because I portray myself a lot bigger.”
MJF has a role in The Iron Claw but his role was originally much bigger than what made the final cut. Click here to find out more.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
The stars were out for the premiere of The Iron Claw, with AEW World Champion MJF being joined by names from WWE.
The Iron Claw delves into the lives and numerous tragedies of the Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would also find success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still a force in wrestling today with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
WWE & AEW Collide on the Red Carpet
MJF plays Lance Von Erich in the new film, a kayfabe relation of the family who doesn’t mesh well with the actual Von Erich wrestlers. MJF also serves as an executive producer for the film so it was hardly a surprise to see him walk the red carpet for the premiere. What may have surprised fans though is that MJF was joined by some of WWE’s top names, including 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena.
Cena wasn’t the only notable name to meet up with MJF at the premiere. The reigning AEW World Champion could also be seen with NXT Superstar Baron Corbin.
Liv Morgan was also at last night’s premiere of The Iron Claw. Morgan is currently out of action with an injury and attended a party with MJF last October.
John Cena may have made ‘You Can’t See Me’ his catcphrase, but wrestling fans may struggle to see MJF in The Iron Claw. The reigning AEW World Champion appears for a few seconds in one scene and has no lines in the film. MJF originally had a much bigger role in the film before edits were made.
MJF had a much bigger role in the upcoming A24 biopic ‘The Iron Claw‘ before his scenes were almost entirely cut from the final edit.
The Iron Claw delves into the lives and numerous tragedies of the Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would also find success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still a force in wrestling today with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
MJF’s role in The Iron Claw may not be the leading role some had hoped for, but he originally had a much bigger role. Mike Johnson of PW Insider reports that in an earlier draft, MJF had three scenes as Lance Von Erich. The first sees Lance being introduced by Fritz as the newest family member, with Kevin Von Erich being unhappy with the idea of a fake family member. Kevin ultimately does what his father wants.
The second scene sees Lance training with his ‘brothers’ in the ring, and it is clear that the fake Von Erich is not in sync with the others. The third scene sees Lance demand more money from Fritz, who tells him no and fires him.
The Iron Claw isn’t MJF’s on ly film role. Click here to find out about the AEW star’s dive into the world of DC Comics.
