Aaron Dean Eisenberg is getting pumped for his part in Sean Durkin’s upcoming wrestling drama, The Iron Claw. Eisenberg will play the legendary wrestler Ric Flair in the forthcoming film, a loud personality of the squared circle whose signature move is the Inside Heel Hook. The Iron Claw stars a jacked-up Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Holt McCallany, Jeremy Allen White, and Maura Tierney. Durkin wrote and is directing the wrestling drama for A24.
The Iron Claw is a biopic about a family dynasty of wrestlers, the Von Erichs, which include Efron as Kevin, The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White as Kerry, and The King’s Man star Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich. Sadly, the Von Erich family legacy is shrouded in misfortune, as several members of the group died by suicide or other tragic means. The Von Erich family history is so sketchy that some believe they’re cursed. Unfortunately, parental neglect, family feuds, and the dangers of the wrestling industry can be linked to the hardships of the Von Erich clan.
Flair plays a vital role in the Von Erichs’ story. The platinum blond-haired icon fought Kerry Von Erich for the NWA Championship Belt in 1984, with the results of the match still talked about to this day. Richard Morgan Fliehr, known professionally as Ric Flair, is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. He’s officially recognized as a 16-time champion of the squared circle, though that depends on who you ask. Many fans would argue Flair achieved the rank of champion at least 25 times in his career, depending on the source.
The Iron Claw is shaping up to be as hard-hitting as the athletes the film depicts. I’d hate to be on the receiving end of a fist to the face by either Efron or Eisenberg. Let’s hope the stunt coordinators are sharper than the pain of Flair’s Inside Heel Hook.