Zac Efron has signed on to lead the cast of The Iron Claw, a drama from A24 and writer-director Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Nest) which will tell the story of the rise and fall of legendary pro wrestling family the Von Erichs.
Specific details on the film are being kept under wraps, as is Efron’s exact role, but Deadline describes the project as “transformative and gritty and is surely unlike anything he’s has done before in his career.”
Led by patriarch Fritz Von Erich, a Texan wrestler and promoter, the Von Erich family consisted of Fritz’s sons Kevin Von Erich, David Von Erich, Mike Von Erich, Chris Von Erich and Kerry Von Erich, all of whom competed during the 1980s.
The Von Erich story is also a tragic one; Fritz’s firstborn son passed away aged just six, and by the time he had died in 1997 he had lost another four of his sons, with David dying unexpectedly of enteritis and Mike, Chris and Kerry all committing suicide.
Zac Efron is coming off the Stephen King adaptation Firestarter [read our review here], and just recently signed on to star alongside Nicole Kidman and Joey King in a new Netflix comedy.
Via Deadline
