{"id":42991,"date":"2024-01-03T18:32:35","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T17:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1953990"},"modified":"2024-01-03T19:47:37","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T18:47:37","slug":"is-the-iron-claw-based-on-a-true-story","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/is-the-iron-claw-based-on-a-true-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Is The Iron Claw based on a true story?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Lily James and The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White star in the film about the Von Erich wrestling family. <\/p>

By Patrick Cremona\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 03 January 2024 at 17:32 PM<\/p>

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*WARNING: Includes major spoilers for The Iron Claw**<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are several reasons why The Iron Claw is one of the most hotly anticipated UK film releases of 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It boasts an incredible cast including the likes of Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Lily James and The Bear<\/a>\u2018s Jeremy Allen White, its director Sean Durkin has a stellar track record including films Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Nest and the TV show Dead Ringers, and it has already received rave reviews following its US release at the tail end of 2023.<\/p>\n

Another reason for the anticipation is that the film is based on a fascinating but tragic true story, telling of the rise and extremely dramatic fall of the Von Erich family, who made waves in the world of wrestling during the 1980s.<\/p>\n

Intrigued? Read on for everything you need to know about the true story behind The Iron Claw \u2013 but be warned that there are major spoilers<\/strong> for the film ahead.<\/p>\n

Is The Iron Claw based on a true story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yes<\/strong>, the film tells the true story of Texas\u00a0NWA\u00a0Heavyweight Champion\u00a0Kevin Von Erich (Efron) and his four brothers, chronicling their rise to the top of the professional wrestling world in the early \u201980s and their subsequent downfall.<\/p>\n

The brothers were the sons of Fritz Von Erich, who was himself a wrestler and had been determined for them all to thrive in the sport \u2013 but, although they did end up achieving considerable success, it came at great cost in their personal lives.<\/p>

A series of family tragedies saw four of the five brothers \u2013 David (Dickinson), Mike (Stanley Simons), Chris (who does not appear in the film) and Kerry (White) \u2013 tragically pass away between 1984 and 1993, the former as a result of enteritis and the other three by suicide, leaving Kevin as the only surviving brother.<\/p>\n

Speaking ahead of the film\u2019s release, writer\/director Durkin explained why he chose not to include Chris in the film, despite him being in the script for the first five years of its development, suggesting that one more death would perhaps make the movie too much for audiences to stomach.<\/p>\n