A24 finally sets a release date for the upcoming sport dramaThe Iron Claw, directed by Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene), who also wrote the script for the film that’s going to tell the tragic story of the Von Erich family.
After dominating last year’s award season thanks to movies likeEverything Everywhere All At Once,The WhaleorAftersun, A24 wants to keep taking people to theaters, offering the audience all kind of stories starring big names within the industry. That’s whyHigh School MusicalalumZac EfronandThe Bearbreak outJeremy Allen Whiteget together inThe Iron Claw, coming to theaters on December 22.
With the announcement of the release date for the film, which will have to face the difficult task of competing with some major blockbusters such asAquaman and the Lost KindgomandThe Color Purple, A24 also released a new image that show the four Von Erich siblings that dedicated their lives to wrestling, Kevin, Kerry, David and Mike (via Variety):
InThe Iron Claw, Efron plays Kevin, Allen White plays Kerry, Harris Dickinson plays David, and Stanley Simmons plays Mike. They’re joined byMindhunterstar Holt McCallany as their father Fritz, Maura Tierney as their mother Doris, Maxwell Friedman as Lance Von Erich, and Lily James as Pam Adkisson, Kevin’s wife.
The cast also features Brady Pierce, Aaron Dean Eisenberg, Kevin Anton, Cazzey Louis Cereghino, Chavo Guerrero Jr., and Ryan Nemeth.The Iron Clawis mostly set in the 80s, when the Von Erichs dominated the wrestling scene.
Related:Best Jeremy Allen White Performances, Ranked
Who Are the Von Erichs?
It all started with Jack Adkisson, played by McCallany in the film, who took the name of Fritz Von Erich when he joined the WWE and became a huge star thanks to his Iron Claw hold. He later became a promoter, helping his sons to follow his path. During the last years from the 70s and the beginning of the 80s, the Von Erich were a more than famous name within the wrestling world.
But they were not only famous for their performance on the ring, as the “Von Erich Curse” became a thing. The first tragedy came when one of the children died at the age of six. Years later, David also died while wrestling. Mike, Kerry and Chris committed suicide, with Kevin being the only sibling left alive. In 1997, Jack also passed away, while Doris died in 2015.
Kevin Von Erich has four children, with two of them also joining the WWE world, David and Kevin. Lacey Von Erich, daughter of Kerry also dedicated her life to wrestling. Some other wrestlers that were not part of the family but trained with Jack have also carried the Von Erich name, Waldo, Lance, Rip and Mark.
In 2009, the whole Von Erich family joined the WWE hall of fame, so they still remain as a huge part of wrestling history.
