The tragic story behind The Iron Claw and the Von Erich family
*Warning: Contains potential spoilers for The Iron Claw* The Iron Claw is one of the most hyped films of 2023, but the upcoming wrestling biopic starring Zac Efron is far from your typical, glossy sports movie. In fact, the real-life story of the people it’s based on is one of the darkest in the world of sport, and fans can expect the movie to draw on a real life story full of family tragedy. The upcoming movie, directed by Sean Durkin and released on December 22, focuses on the Von Erich wrestling family and their lives in and away from the ring. The Iron Claw boasts an impressive cast, with Efron joined by the likes of Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickson and Lily James, who will all be telling the family’s story. We can’t be sure exactly what the movie will focus on, but the family is synonymous with the US wrestling scene in the second half of the 20th century. The Von Erich family achieved great success while also experiencing a great deal of tragedy, with the majority of the family members dying young. Parents Fritz and Doris had six sons together but lost one son at a very young age after he was electrocuted and drowned at six-years-old. Fritz was a successful wrestler in his time, and his five sons Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris followed into the industry and became professional wrestlers too. Fritz and his sons famously helped to popularise the iron claw wrestling hold, which the film is named after. After achieving success, the family experienced more heartbreak. In fact, only Kevin – played by Efron – survived into later life. Kerry, played by Allen White, became well known under the persona “The Texas Tornado” which he competed as in WWE, where he won the Intercontinental Championship. He suffered a motorcycle accident which saw his right foot amputated in his 20s, before he killed himself at the age of 33 in 1993. David, played by Dickson, died at the age of 25. His official cause of death was acute enteritis, but there are some who believe he suffered a drug overdose that was covered up. Mike also died young at the age of just 23 after overdosing on tranquillisers. It’s expected that the film will focus on the family’s tragic story, as well as Kevin’s marriage to Pamela May, played by James. Kevin went on to be known as the “Golden Warrior” and their sons Ross and Marshall also went on to become wrestlers. Their story is hinted at in the trailer released earlier this year. “Ever since I was a child, people said my family was cursed. Mum tried to protect us with God. Pop tried to protect us with wrestling,” Kevin delivers in a voiceover. “He said if we were the toughest, the strongest, nothing could ever hurt us. I believed him; we all did.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
1970-01-01 08:00
Houston and UCF Have a Space Feud Brewing
No better way to get some publicity for a rivalry than to start a space fight.
1970-01-01 08:00
3 Stefon Diggs trades Bills missed out on, 1 they can still make
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1970-01-01 08:00
Jacob Elordi confesses he never wanted to make 'ridiculous' Kissing Booth movies
There are plenty of actors and actresses who end up making films and TV shows that they don’t like – but few actually admit as much. One person who has is Jacob Elordi. The Australian actor revealed that he thinks his 2018 film The Kissing Booth is “ridiculous” and said that he never wanted to make the movie or its sequels. The 26-year-old is known for his roles in Euphoria, as well as the three films in the Kissing Booth series. He also stars as Elvis Presley in the new Sophia Coppola film Priscilla. However, the actor was asked about his experiences making the romcoms earlier on in his career, where he played the protagonist Noah Flynn. The film has a rating of just 15 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes - and Elordi is a little sheepish about starring in them. Speaking to GQ, Elordi said he “didn't [actually] want to make those movies before [he] made those movies” Branding the films “ridiculous”, he said: "They're not universal. They're an escape." He went on to discuss the balance actors and actresses in Hollywood often choose to take, balancing making ‘one for them’ and then one film for themselves as a performer. "It can become 15 for them, none for you. You have no original ideas and you’re dead inside. So it’s a fine dance,” he said. Elordi admitted that he “felt very corny” after making The Kissing Booth. "I felt like I had to prove to everyone that I was a serious actor. I felt terribly misunderstood." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
1970-01-01 08:00
Marc Jacobs used ChatGPT to write collection notes for SS24 show 'out of desperation'
Marc Jacobs used ChatGPT to write his SS24 show collection notes "out of desperation", and was left speechless by the abilities of AI.
1970-01-01 08:00
CeeDee Lamb makes NFL history with latest explosive performance
CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys did something that no wide receiver had done in NFL history after his Week 10 showing against the New York Giants.
1970-01-01 08:00
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1970-01-01 08:00
Dak Prescott silently sending a message to every hater in 2023 season
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has sent a silent message to those who thought he threw too many interceptions leading up to the 2023 season.
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Dak Prescott looked like an MVP candidate in win over Giants
Dak Prescott looked like an MVP candidate in win over Giants
1970-01-01 08:00
Duke women's basketball off to an impressive start in 2023-24 season
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1970-01-01 08:00
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1970-01-01 08:00
How 'Higher' by Creed became a new anthem for US sports teams
The internet is impossible to predict – after all, who could have seen a track by 90s rockers Creed becoming one of the most popular songs of 2023? If you’re an avid TikTok user, the chances are you’ll have heard ‘Higher’ on your feed in some form or another this year. The 1999 track from the Florida band’s album Human Clay has found a brand new audience as more and more people discover it online. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised by its new popularity, given how good the track is. Creed - Higher (Official Video) www.youtube.com It’s right out of the 90s mold of epic rock tracks, and more American in its makeup than Uncle Sam chowing down on a corn dog at a demolition derby. It still slaps in 2023, and it’s become the soundtrack to countless posts this year – but how? Mostly, it’s due to a special connection with sports fans which goes back all the way to the late 90s and early 00s. In their pomp, Creed performed an NFL halftime show, helping to mark Thanksgiving at the home of the Dallas Cowboys in 2001. Thanxgiving Medley (Higher/My Sacrifice/Don't Stop Dancing www.youtube.com Footage of the performance has been recirculating this year, and it's perhaps no surprise given the bombastic of the track and the high-octane staging – which saw a number of aerialists fly into the stadium twirling in huge strips of material. Since then, the band seems to have had a connection with American sports fans – and now ‘Higher’ seems to have become an unofficial anthem, much like ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond has done for the England football team in recent times. It was clear just how much the song has been embraced by crowds when Texas Rangers fans sang the track with the help of a huge karaoke screen during a baseball game this year. Texas Rangers fans singing some CREED - 2023 ALDS www.youtube.com It’s not just fans who have made the song popular again, either. After the Texas Rangers made the tune their theme song this year, the players belted it out in the dressing room after claiming the World Series too. However, the first person to really get the song circulating again was TikTok user @maceahwindu, who brought us a brilliant version of the tune. As another sign of the song making an impact in the world of sport, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs replied to a clip of @maceahwindu mixed with highlights of the Vikings’s overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons, writing: “I wish I could hit that note.” It's here to stay, so expect to hear 'Higher' more and more in the sporting world and beyond. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
1970-01-01 08:00