The Iron Claw
admonition : This clause contain citation of murder and suicide .
Summary
The biographic sports movieThe Iron Clawprovides a remarkable portrayal of the successes and catastrophe of a wrestling family , and their stories are connected to other cataclysm in the wrestling industry . The Iron Clawlooks at the life and achievements of the Von Erich family , who were one of the most pop and successful families in the wrestling industry . Family patriarch Fritz Von Erich was the prexy of the World Class Championship Wrestling companyand the picture show shows how his Word got involved in wrestling and had their triumphs and tragedies throughout their lives .
The movie establish the dissimilar problems and issues that the Von Erich syndicate facedas their popularity in the wrestling industry rise in the 1980s . Many of the brothers ' matches were depicted alongside several other matman that they work with across their calling . One wrestler depicted in the moving-picture show was hard-core champion , Bruiser Brody , who , like the Von Erichs , also endure succeeder and tragedy in the wrestling business .
lineament

Actor
Kevin Von Erich
Zac Efron

Kerry Von Erich
Jeremy Allen White
David Von Erich

The Iron Claw portrays the rise and fall of the Von Erich family, a dynasty in professional wrestling. Directed by Sean Durkin, the film explores the family members' personal struggles and tragic fates and the lasting impact they left on the sport.
Harris Dickinson
Mike Von Erich
Stanley Simmons

Fritz Von Erich
Holt McCallaney
Doris Von Erich

Maura Tierney
Pam Adkisson
Lily James

The Iron Claw portrays the rise and fall of the Von Erich family, a dynasty in professional wrestling. Directed by Sean Durkin, the film explores the family members' personal struggles and tragic fates and the lasting impact they left on the sport.
Bruiser Brody
Cazzey Louis Cereghino
Ric Flair

Aaron Dean Eisenberg
Michael Hayes
Brady Pierce

Bruiser Brody Was Murdered In 1988
Brody is portrayed by Cazzey Louis Cereghino in The Iron Claw
Born Frank Goodish in 1946 , Bruiser Brody began wrestling professionally in 1973 and expend the next several geezerhood working for many eminent - profile companies , let in Fritz Von Erich ’s World Class Championship Wrestling . Bruiser Brody was pop with writhe fan for his hard-core , furious , and volatile hand-to-hand struggle style ; behind the scenes , Frank Goodish was a very different person , with champion and family describing him as a loving husband and a devoted Church Father . Cazzey Louis Cereghino portrayed Brody inThe Iron Claw ; throughout his vocation , Brody had a close friendship with the Von Erich family line , especially with David , and he was ravage by David ’s sudden death in 1984 .
In 1988 , Brody was preparing for an event in Bayamón , Puerto Rico when he got into a disagreement with fellow wrestler and booker , José González in the locker room ; the two reportedly did not have a good working relationship , and they had fiscal disputes . While arguing , González jab Brody twice in the stomach ; fellow matman and bodybuilder Tony Atlas express that he recover González holding a knife and Brody hunched in pain ( viaVice).Bruiser Brody was have to hospital where he give-up the ghost of his injuries on July 17 , 1988 ; he was 42 years of age and left a wife and 7 - twelvemonth - old son at the clip of his death .
The Iron Claw follows the Von Erich grappling kinsperson , but the filmmakers mainly focus on four sons despite there being more than that in real life .

Brody’s Killer Was Acquitted of Murder
Jose Gonzalez Was Found Not Guilty In Large Part Due To A Botched Trial
In the aftermath , José González was apprehend and saddle with Brody ’s execution ; he went to test in 1989.González work as his own attorney and claimed that he killed Brody on the dry land of ego - defense . Tony Atlas and fellow matman Dutch Mantel were due to give evidence against González but did n’t receive their sound subpoenas until 10 days after the trial run had concluded . Due to the absence seizure of key witnesses , and the fact that the execution artillery was never recuperate , José González was find oneself not guilty of murder on the ground of self - defense .
The acquittal of González for Brody ’s slaying caused an yell in the wrestling community of interests , with many believe that González got away with slaying . Brody ’s widow woman has tell in interviews , that she believed that the trial was " a sham " ( viaVice ) . Despite the controversy fence him , José Gonzàlez returned to wrestling and continued to execute under his rassling name , Invader 1 , until he retired in 2022 .
The Iron Claw depicts several illustrious real - life pro wrestler but also features a bit of cameos who have decennary of collective wrestling experience .

Professional Wrestling Is Filled With Tragic Stories
Many Other Wrestlers besides the Von Erichs Have Met Tragic Ends
The Iron Clawprovides a spectacular and heart - breaking insight into the chronicle of the Von Erich family , but many other wrestlers have also faced similar tragedies . For class , drug abuse , murder , controversy , and suicide have riddled the wrestling industry ; wrestler such as Chris Adams and Dino Bravo were both murdered in circumstances similar to Brody , and others such as Curt Hennig and Chyna died from drug overdoses . In 1999 , Owen Hart was killed in a controversial entering stunt become faulty , and most infamously , Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son before put self-annihilation in 2007 . Autopsy reports showed thatBenoit suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy , a condition get by multiple head injuriesthat many other wrestlers suffer from later in living ( viaWrestlingInc ) .
The cast of characters ofThe atomic number 26 Clawreceived help in understanding the tragic events they were portraying . Chavo Guerrero Jr. , who appeared inThe Iron Clawas The Sheik , shared his own experience of tragedy with the cast ; his uncle Eddie Guerrero died of gist disease in 2005 , aged 38.Another matman picture in the pic , Ric Flair ( Aaron Dean Eisenberg ) , lost his Logos Reid to a drug overdose in 2013 . Guerrero Jr. and director Sean Durkin spoke about how event such as these affect performing artist in the grappling industry andhow mass such as Guerrero Jr. and Kevin Von Erich were able-bodied to keep live on in the wake of tragedy(viaVariety ) . While the events of the movieand the murder of Bruiser Brody arguably serve as predecessors for other tragic outcome in the halo , The Iron Clawalso provides an inspirational subject matter to viewers that it is possible to get back up in the face of tragedy .
The Iron Clawis playing in theaters now .
Sources : Vice , WrestlingInc , Variety
Cast
The Iron Claw portrays the emanation and descent of the Von Erich family , a dynasty in professional hand-to-hand struggle . maneuver by Sean Durkin , the moving-picture show explores the family members ' personal struggles and tragical fates and the hold out wallop they left on the mutant .