WithThe Iron Clawreleasing in theaters over the weekend leading up to Christmas, it poses a question. What other great biopics are out there to be made about those who enter the squared circle? Sean Durkin’s A24-produced drama tells the tragic story of the Von Erich brothers, who rose to fame in the early ’80s in the world of professional wrestling. The world these characters grew up in is something that sticks with you long after the credits roll.
The Iron Claw
AlthoughThe Iron Clawis about a lot more than just professional wrestling, it’s fair to look at some of the icons of this industry and wonder if a movie like Sean Durkin’s drama could open the floodgates to other biopics. Wrestling is known to be chock-full of tragic stories. Fans have seen their childhood heroes fall to rock bottom. Some have bounced back, and some have not, unfortunately. Heck, there’s even a documentary series about all of this. But what if some Hollywood A-Listers suited up in spandex and wrestling boots and told their story? Here are 10 wrestlers who deserve something along the lines ofThe Iron Clawtreatment.
10Eddie Guerrero
The late greatEddie Guerrerowon multiple titles throughout his long career, which tragically ended in 2005. Guerrero was flamboyant in the ring, with charisma and Latin machismo. His frog splash finisher move was always a sight to see. And of course, his “Lie, Cheat, Steal” slogan was all over WWE merchandising for a good, long run.
Lie! Cheat! Steal!
Like the Von Erich family in The Iron Claw, Eddie Guerrero hails from a famous family of wrestlers. His run in WCW was effective, along with that of his nephew, Chavo Guerrero Jr. His rise to the top of WWE in the mid-2000s was a sight to see. Defeating the likes of Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar, and the insane title match at WrestleMania 20 against Kurt Angle. But all of this was met with personal demons getting the best of him, as his untimely death was a tragedy in 2005. Guerrero’s story is about family and work ethic, and that always makes for a great story that would have fans buzzing. There have even been fan calls forPedro Pascal to take on the role.
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9Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Jake “The Snake” Robertsrose to fame in the late 1980s as a mid-card wrestler who shot up the ladder. But his dark persona of never knowing what he was going to do next enticed audiences. His tactic of tossing a python at his opponents always put the crowd on edge. He was something else in his era, and then he was gone, and nobody knew what had happened to him.
A Redemption Story
A lot of wrestlers don’t get the second chance that he did.Roberts popped up in the 1999 documentary,Beyond the Mat. He was a down-on-his-luck wrestler, doing shows in the middle of nowhere. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol and had lost direction in his life. Roberts was demonized by his past traumas that were catching up to him. His sister was murdered very young, and he dealt with a lot of sexual abuse growing up. Roberts was on death’s door in the documentary about him calledThe Resurrection of Jake The Snake Robertsuntil former wrestler Diamond Dallas Page turned him onto his health routine. Roberts has done a 180 over the years, living his truth and becoming an icon of his era of wrestling, and we are all glad we still have him here.
8Scott Hall
Scott Hallhas made a career out of being one of the best heels in the business. The so-called “bad guy” had a long run of being the kind of character you loved to hate. From having a career-defining ladder match as his early WWE persona, Razor Ramon, atWrestleMania X. To being one of the founding members of the NWO, Hall has always been there for some of the biggest moments in wrestling.
Hall was always a good character to boo, but behind the scenes, he suffered from PTSD. In 1983, a man pulled a gun on Hall outside a club in Orlando, Florida. Hall reversed the attacker’s weapon on him, shot him dead, and was able to get off due to self-defense. In Hall’s later years, he battled his demons with addictions. His physical health was ailing, but in the last few years of his life, he had seemed to turn a corner, once again with the help of former wrestler Diamond Dallas Page. Funny enough, Hall may already have a biopic, as it is stated that some of 2009’sThe Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke, felt a lot like life imitating art for Scott Hall.
7Hulk Hogan
Terry Gene Bollea, otherwise known asHulk Hogan, was the one wrestler who took entertainment out of auditoriums and into packed stadiums. Hulk Hogan was the key factor in elevating professional wrestling in the 1980s. Although, from a technical standpoint, there may be better ring wrestlers out there, Hogan made sports entertainment a household thing. Why not give him a biopic?
Whatcha Gonna Do, Brother?
The strange thing here is that Hogan already has a biopic in the works, withChris Hemsworth attached to play him. Netflix had the rights, but as of this summer,it seemed to have backed out of the project.Hogan’s story has kept going over the years, even though he is out of the ring now. He’s found himself at the center of controversy over the last decade with racial slurs, sex tapes, and then, more recently, getting baptized (not that that’s a bad thing). Maybe Hogan’s story should be more of a miniseries, since there’s a lot that fans would want to see in it. But we shall see. There’s no way the Hulkster’s story won’t grace the big screen sometime soon.
6Shawn Michaels
you’re able to just hear WWE announcer Jim Ross yelling “Sweet Chin Music” or “Michaels, Michaels, Michaels,” when you say his name. His entrance music always creates an eruptive atmosphere in any arena he enters. The Heartbreak Kid,Shawn Michaels, is a man with many demons who found a way back to the right path in life. His redemptive tale deserves a shot at the big screen.
The Show Stoppa!
Shawn Michaels has many nicknames. There’s The Heartbreak Kid, Mr. WrestleMania, and The Show Stoppa. He is a tough competitor in the ring, but by the late 1990s, and the fast life had caught up with him. He had suffered through a back injury that came to a climax in 1998 atWrestleMania. He was also battling addiction to drugs over the years, but after nearly losing it all, Michaels had gotten himself back on track to have a great run in the 2000s. His redemptive tale makes for a great core message in a film. And to add to it, he never had a bad match. He was hard to outperform; he has the respect of his peers, from Stone Cold Steve Austin to Ric Flair.
5The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warriorrose to fame in the late 1980s, as WWE was really hitting a stride with viewers. By 1990, he had defeated Hulk Hogan in the famous “title for title” match atWrestleMania VIto become both the Intercontinental and WWE Champion. However, as the years went by, his steroid abuse, ego, and other addictions would get the best of him in the business.
The Ultimate Biopic
Warrior’s career was a remarkable thing to unfold. At one point, he was the top man in business, and even when he wasn’t, he made audience members turn heads. Not to be morbid, but what would really make his biopic interesting was how he left this world. The Ultimate Warrior, or James Brian Hellwig, as was his real name, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on June 15, 2025. The next day, he appeared atWrestlemaniaon April 6th. Then, the following night, he appeared on WWE’s flagship show,Monday Night Raw, to do a segment. Fans began to wonder if The Ultimate Warrior was back for a stint in the business. On the following day, he died. It’s a mysterious exit from this world that would make a great piece of cinema.
4The Undertaker
Nobody has had a career like The Deadman did. Mark Calaway, otherwise known to many asThe Undertaker, had a career that spanned three decades, and he kept going strong until the very end. Yes,The Last Ridedocumentary that WWE produced is still fresh in people’s minds. So maybe down the road, his story could be told in narrative biopic form.
Rest in Peace
To the fans, The Undertaker was a force to be reckoned with. In the early 1990s, his dark prowess shocked young wrestling fans. He took on the spooky persona and ran with it throughout his career. But behind the scenes, Taker was in charge of the locker room. He was the old wise man of the staff of wrestlers backstage. He had the respect of his peers, far and wide. He never complained if he was bumped down to mid-card. He went out and did his job. And he has earned the right to be known as one of the greatest of all time. His relationship with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon has always been a thing of beauty, as he has always been loyal to Vince throughout anything. And speaking of WWE’s chairman of the board…
3Vince McMahon
The chairman of the board himself,Vincent Kennedy McMahon, took wrestling out of bleacher-filled gyms and small, smokey auditoriums and brought it to a massive audience, nationwide. He crushed the competition every chance he got and was always confident in doing so,whether you liked him or not. And at 78 years old, McMahon, a polarizing figure and all, does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Don’t Cross the Boss
McMahon bought the WWE from his dad in 1982 for one million dollars. And turned it into an empire that is unmatched. He battled ratings wars with companies he put out of business and then gave them all jobs. Ask McMahon about his competition; he’ll tell you that he doesn’t have any competition.The businessman from Greenwich, Connecticut, knows how to play the press and the media. It would be interesting to see a biopic of McMahon and the empire he created. He’s made a lot of friends and enemies over the years. It would be a film that took a good, hard look at the American dream, that’s for sure.
2The Hart Family
Wrestling is something that can be passed down through many generations in a family. There are many examples of it. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a third-generation wrestler; Randy Orton’s father was a wrestler; the Guerrero family; and many others. However, none is more prestigious than theHart family.
The Best There Is, The Best There Was, and The Best There Ever Will Be.
LikeThe Iron Claw, a film about the Hart family could be a tale of brotherhood, trauma, loss, and a disciplinarian father. Although Stu Hart had more of a positive impact on his children than Fritz Von Erich did inThe Iron Claw, he was still a tough-as-nails ex-wrestler, who trained many athletes in his infamous dungeon. Bret “The Hitman” Hart would be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, and aperformer who left WWE in a controversial way.And then the tragic tale of Owen Hart, who died in a botched entrance stunt where a wire snapped, and he fell to the mat below. The Canadian-bound Hart family is private these days. But their story could make for a drama for the ages.
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1Ric Flair
There is no greater tale in the world of wrestling than the 16-time world champion, Nature BoyRic Flair. His documentary, out now on Peacock, tells his story through his words. And knowing what we now know about him, a biopic has to happen. It would make for one of the greatest sports biopics ever.
Limousine Ridin', Jet Flyin', Kiss-Stealin', Wheelin', and Dealin' Son of a Gun
At 74 years old, Ric Flair has seen some things. He was on the road a lot and wrestled for many different companies. His lavish lifestyle was always on full display, either in front of the camera or even behind the scenes. Flair retired, un-retired, and then retired again. He struggled through the passing of his son. He had a 30% chance of living through a health scare where some of his organs began to fail. Flair can’t be kept down, and we sure are proud to still have one of the best trash talkers in the game still here with us. Flair even makes an appearance inThe Iron Claw. Aaron Dean Eisenberg plays the role of a young Nature Boy. So, if anything, a Flair biopic needs to be in the cards to happen. It’s one of the greatest stories in wrestling.
