Zac Efron has shared a first-look image of himself in action as the real-life wrestler Kevin Von Erich from the upcoming A24 film The Iron Claw. Written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Sean Durkin, the story of The Iron Claw revolves around the Von Erich family and their era of enormous success in the 1960s as they took the world of professional wrestling by storm. The upcoming project had first been announced this past June, with Efron being the first actor to hop on board, with development speeding up rapidly thereafter, as the remaining cast was rounded off by October.
Photos of Efron’s stunning physical transformation to portray Kevin Von Erich have been making the rounds online recently, but the above-shown image marks the first official still released from the film. This isn’t the first time the High School Musical star has undergone a drastic bodily change for a role, as he had also beefed up his physique for 2017’s Baywatch, to which he’s expressed having endured depression because of it. However, The Iron Claw presented the 17 Again star with a far more difficult challenge, as he had to embody a real-life sports figure known for his muscular build and intimidating stature. While the real-life Kevin Von Erich has never met Efron, he recently gave his seal of approval for the actor’s near-accurate look in the film, stating that he “looked great.“
Now, Zac Efron has dropped a brand-new image, providing a first look at himself as the iconic wrestler Kevin Von Erich from the forthcoming A24 film The Iron Claw. The image shows off Efron’s impressive new physique as he delivers a knock-out flying kick to an opponent in the wrestling ring. Check out the image above:
Everything We Know So Far About A24’s The Iron Claw
Baby Driver and Pam & Tommy actress Lily James will star opposite Efron in a currently undisclosed role, with many theorizing she will portray Ehrlich’s wife, Pam Adkisson. The pair is joined in The Iron Claw by a supporting cast that includes The Bear and Shameless star Jeremy Allen White and The King’s Man‘s Harris Dickinson as Kevin’s brothers Kerry and David, respectively, with The Affair‘s Maura Tierney portraying their mother Doris Von Erich, and Mindhunter‘s Holt McCallany taking up the role of Fritz Von Erich, a pro-wrestler, three-time world champion, and patriarch of the highly successful Von Erich wrestling dynasty. While The Iron Claw is said to center around the Von Erich’s rise to a dominant era of championship-winning success, the film is also set to chronicle the famed American family’s equally meteoric and tragic downfall outside the ring, which left Kevin as the only surviving son of Fritz.
Given that the film’s early promotional material seems to be solely focused on Efron’s character, it is increasingly likely that the film will be told solely from Kevin’s perspective. A release date for The Iron Claw is yet to be announced, however, the film is expected to arrive in theaters sometime in 2023. The above-shown image of Efron further proves that he’s the right man for the role and will undoubtedly heighten anticipation for the film. Audiences can expect a realistic look at the iconic figure’s life when The Iron Claw eventually makes its debut.
Source: Zac Efron/Instagram