Von Erich Family Slams ‘The Iron Claw’ for Heart-Wrenching Inaccuracies in Wrestling Saga

Kevin Von Erich, the last surviving brother of the legendary Von Erich wrestling family, is setting the record straight on what he calls the "heart-wrenching" inaccuracies in the 2023 biopic The Iron Claw. Appearing in the docuseries "Hollywood Demons" on Investigation Discovery, Kevin took viewers deep into his family’s storied—yet tragic—history, challenging the so-called Von Erich "curse" myth head-on.

The family’s heartbreak is no secret: five brothers gone far too soon. Jack Jr. died at six after an electric shock, David lost his life at 25 due to acute enteritis, and Kerry, Mike, and Chris each died by suicide. The movie’s depiction of these events, according to Kevin and his family, misses the mark in some painful ways.

One glaring omission? Kerry Von Erich’s wife and daughters. Kevin emphasized that Kerry was a devoted family man, a reality completely left on the cutting room floor. Kerry’s daughter, Lacey, echoed her uncle, calling the film’s portrayal of her father "so inaccurate that it is heart-wrenching." In real life, Kerry shared two daughters, Hollie and Lacey, with Catherine Murray. Even though the couple divorced before Kerry’s death, their bond was a defining part of the family story.

There’s also the matter of Kerry’s amputation. The film suggests he lost his foot immediately after a motorcycle accident, but as Dr. Drew Pinsky explained in the series, the truth is more complicated. Kerry initially suffered a severe crush injury, then made the bold—if reckless—choice to return to the ring, only making things worse. Ultimately, he elected to have half his foot amputated, a detail the movie glossed over.

Perhaps most shockingly, the film left out the youngest Von Erich brother, Chris, altogether. Instead, director Sean Durkin combined Chris and Mike’s stories into one, supposedly to avoid "repetition"—but for the family, leaving Chris out was unforgivable. Chris, who struggled with asthma and a desire to match his brothers’ success, died by suicide at just 21. Mike, too, ended his life after a struggle with legal trouble and mental health. For a family defined by brotherhood, these omissions cut deep.

The portrayal of the family patriarch, Fritz Von Erich, as a villain also stung. Kevin’s daughter, Kristen, acknowledged that people always look for someone to blame in the face of tragedy, but the real story, the family insists, is more nuanced. Kevin admitted he’d felt anger toward his father, especially after losing Kerry, but ultimately the family rejects the idea that Fritz or some mythical curse is to blame.

Family friend and wrestling promoter Dave Manning put it best: "There was never a Von Erich curse. There were some bad choices and some unfortunate deaths." Kevin himself reflected that the real culprit was their relentless mindset—never quitting, no matter what. "Our weaknesses in our hearts and our personality... That mindset maybe did get dangerous in the end, but that was how we were raised to think," Kevin said.

Despite all the heartbreak, Kevin says the love between brothers is what matters most. "I know I will see my brothers again," he shared, holding onto hope and a sense of family that can’t be captured in any Hollywood script.