Zac Efron to star in A24 film about cursed Texas wrestling dynasty, the Von Erichs

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Titled The Iron Claw, the film is based on the rise and fall of the Von Erichs, who helped bring pro wrestling into the mainstream but also saw their fair share of adversity. Of the six Von Erich children, fathered by Fritz Von Erich, five died tragically
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Deadline broke the news last week that the 35-year-old Efron will star in the drama, which is being produced by entertainment company A24. Writer-director Sean Durkin is set to direct the film.

The film no doubt gets its name from the nickname and trademark move of Fritz Von Erich, the 23-time world champion and patriarch of the family. Born Jack Adkisson, he accepted a role as a villain and became a star in the National Wrestling Alliance, holding multiple belts during the 1960s and appearing regularly with the family at the Sportatorium.

The Von Erichs consisted of Fritz’s sons Kevin, David, Mike, Chris and Kerry, all of whom competed during the 1980s. The brothers struggled with drugs, injury, illness, stardom and suicide. Fritz’s firstborn son died at age 6. David died unexpectedly of enteritis, inflammation of the small intestine. Mike, Chris and Kerry all died by suicide.

Kevin’s sons, Ross and Marshall, currently wrestle around the nation with Major League Wrestling, representing the family’s third generation.


At 5-foot-8 and about 165 pounds, Efron is a surprising choice to play Fritz Von Erich, a former professional football player for the Dallas Texans who stood at about 6-4. Efron bulked up for the Baywatch remake, but looking like a Von Erich could be more challenging. The Von Erich children were muscled up with thick necks and were all stellar athletes at Lake Dallas High School.

Efron is coming off the Stephen King adaptation of Firestarter and will join Nicole Kidman in a new Netflix romantic comedy.

Deadline called the Von Erich project a “a piece of material that is transformative and gritty and is surely unlike anything he’s done before in his career.”

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