The Von Erich family had almost lost its shine in the professional wrestling industry before Dwayne Johnson decided to revisit their legacy. Being in the headlines for multiple reasons, the family has roots in the professional wrestling industry. Despite having the last name Adkisson, the entire family adopted Von Erich as their last name inside the ring.
Fritz Von Erich was the patriarch of the family. Born in 1929, he made his professional wrestling debut in 1953. Fritz, a record 20-time NWA United States Champion, had six sons. The fate of his sons was horrendous and before his death in 1970, he saw five of them leave for their heavenly abode.
The triumph and tragedy of a true American sports dynasty.@A24 presents Sean Durkin’s #TheIronClaw, starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Stanley Simons, with Holt McCallany and Lily James. In Theaters Everywhere December 22 pic.twitter.com/8k7zKh8nNa
— The Iron Claw (@ironclawmovie) October 11, 2023
Jack Jr. passed away at the age of 6 after he drowned in a puddle. David Von Erich died from enteritis at the age of 25 at a hotel. The other three sons, Mike, Chris and Kerry, passed away after suicide at the ages of 23, 21 and 33, respectively. Kevin Von Erich is the only son who has survived the myth of the ‘Von Erich curse.’ With their glorious yet heartbreaking family story, a movie named ‘The Iron Claw’ is on its way about their lives.
‘The Iron Claw’ is hardly ten days away from reaching the public. Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White will form the integral cast of the project. Zac will play Kevin Von Erich, while Allen will step into Kerry’s shoes. Kerry, being Dwayne Johnson’s hero, has an important place in the hearts of all professional wrestling fans.
What relationship does Dwayne Johnson share with the Von Erich family?
It wasn’t long ago when Dwayne Johnson graced the set of The Joe Rogan Experience. During its shoot, Joe Rogan and The Rock discussed a lot about the professional wrestling business, including the Von Erich family. The Rock confessed that his father, Rocky Johnson, used to work for the Von Erichs while they were a part of World Class Championship Wrestling.
Appreciating the build of Fritz Von Erich, Dwayne Johnson explained the special bond he shared with Kerry Von Erich. “Kerry was my hero, man,” he told Joe Rogan. He also brought to light the struggles that these stars faced in their careers. “We lived in Dallas and every week at this famous area called ‘The Sportatorium’, this tiny little arena the size of like a little flea market,” said The Rock.
“Those guys I used wrestle with them in the afternoons and just roll around the ring. It was wild,” added Dwayne Johnson. His comments reveal the regard that he kept the Von Erich family in. He also seemed to be quite excited for the December 22 project on the family, titled The Iron Claw.