New Look at Zac Efron’s The Iron Claw Released, Theatrical Release Date Announced

Wrestling has more than one royal family. While most current day discussion about prestigious lineages revolves around the Anoa’is and the Rhodeses, one of the most famous squared circle pedigrees is getting their story told on the big screen. Filmmaker Sean Durkin had been developing a biographical picture about the Von Erich family, and A24 picked it up for distribution this past summer. Titled The Iron Claw, this story would feature Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich and Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich. Production commenced in October 2022, shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana throughout the subsequent months.

The Iron Claw First Look and Release Date

As reported by Variety, The Iron Claw will be coming to theaters on December 22nd. Alongside the release date, A24 shared a new look image of the film featuring Efron’s Kevin Von Erich, White’s Kerry Von Erich, Stanley Simons’s Mike Von Erich, and Harris Dickinson’s David Von Erich.

As teased by the film’s synopsis, The Iron Claw will spotlight the Von Erichs’ dynasty within professional wrestling that began in the 1960s but will also tackle what has become known as the “Von Erich curse” outside of the ring. Beyond Efron and White’s starring roles, notable names like Lily James, Maura Tierney, and Holy McCallany will round out the supporting cast.

The Iron Claw’s Pro Wrestling Cast

While Efron and White bring some movie star power to the film, there are a number of professional wrestlers from the sport itself playing roles in the cast. 

AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman will play Lance Von Erich. This is MJF’s feature film debut. Friedman filmed scenes for the movie in Fall 2022 and announced immediately after winning the AEW World Title at AEW Full Gear that he was flying to his “movie set,” resulting in him missing the following episode of AEW Dynamite.

Wrestling legend Chavo Guerrero Jr. is set to play The Sheik. Guerrero is no stranger to wrestling and Hollywood crossovers, as he previously worked on the set of NBC’s Young Rock.

AEW’s Ryan Nemeth plays Gino Hernandez. Nemeth is the younger brother of WWE’s Dolph Ziggler. Known as The Hollywood Hunk in AEW, Nemeth has had various small roles in films and television shows, most recently appearing on the latest season of I Think You Should Leave.

The Iron Claw hits theaters on Friday, December 22nd.