10 Wrestlers That Need Biopics After The Iron Claw

The biographical sports movie The Iron Claw proved a success in telling the story of one of wrestling’s most iconic families and could serve as an inspiration for future movies. The Iron Claw tells the story of the Von Erich family, who were recognized as one of the most famous families in wrestling history. The movie examines how Fritz Von Erich established World Class Championship Wrestling in the 1960s. His sons all grew up and joined their father, working in the wrestling industry.

The Iron Claw examines the different successes and tragedies that each member of the family faced throughout the years. The story depicted in this movie proves similar to the lives of other wrestlers who have made names for themselves in the sports industry. The success of The Iron Claw could potentially allow other wrestlers with notable legacies to receive biopics in the future.

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10 Chyna

One of the Greatest Female Wrestlers Who Broke Gender Norms

Born Joan Laurer, Chyna is arguably one of the greatest female wrestlers in history. She is remembered for defying gender norms in the 1990s, as the first female wrestler to participate in male events, including the Royal Rumble, and the only woman to ever win the Intercontinental Championship twice. She has been credited as an inspiration for female wrestlers and, during her wrestling career, was billed as “The Ninth Wonder of the World.”

Chyna, however, had a troubled life outside the ring. She had notably tumultuous relationships with fellow wrestlers Triple H and Sean Waltman, and faced issues with drug and alcohol addiction, which contributed to her death in 2016. Despite her personal troubles, Chyna undoubtedly left a lasting legacy in women’s wrestling, and her accomplishments in the sport should be recognized in a biopic.

9 Curt Hennig

A Second-Generation Star With One of The Most Popular Gimmicks In Wrestling

A second-generation wrestler, Curt Hennig worked for multiple wrestling promotions throughout his career, including the WWF (now WWE), AWA, and WCW. He is best remembered for his “Mr. Perfect” gimmick, where he portrayed a pompous wrestler who made sure everything was done perfectly; this gimmick proved popular with wrestling fans, and Hennig went on to have a notable feud with Hulk Hogan over the WWF Championship and also proved his skills as a color commentator.

In 2002, Hennig was involved in the infamous “Plane Ride From Hell” which led to his dismissal from the WWE and suffered from cocaine addiction that led to his death in 2003 at the age of 44. Regardless, he is widely remembered by his fellow wrestlers and fans as a talented performer, receiving a posthumous WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2004. A wrestling biopic of Hennig would be interesting as it could highlight the positives and negatives of his life and career as Mr. Perfect.

8 The Ultimate Warrior

One of the Most Controversial Wrestling Figures

The Ultimate Warrior is regarded as one of the most controversial figures in wrestling history. Throughout his career, he was recognized as a two-time Intercontinental Championship champion and his 1990 feud with Hulk Hogan, where he won the WWF Championship at Wrestlemania VI; Warrior, however, had a very tumultuous relationship with the WWE and was fired three times, which damaged his image for many years. Thankfully, Warrior reconciled his differences with the WWE and has since been recognized as one of WWE’s most popular icons.

Warrior is widely remembered for his iconic face paint, colorful interviews, and inspiring audiences to always believe in themselves. A biopic of Warrior would be able to examine how he rose to prominence, fell down due to his demons, and how he was able to restore his image before he died in 2014.

7 Batista

Began Life In Poverty and Rose To Become One of WWE’s Biggest Stars

Dave Bautista started wrestling professionally for WWE in 2002. Wrestling under the name Batista, he quickly rose to become one of the highest-ranked wrestlers in the company’s history; he is a 6-time World Champion and 3-time Tag Team Champion. He has since transitioned from wrestling into acting and is widely recognized for his role as Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.

Bautista has been open about not having an easy start in life; his family lived in poverty, and he started committing theft at a young age. Through hard work and determination, he was able to turn his life around and become one of the most prominent wrestlers of the 21st century. A biopic of Bautista would certainly capture the hardships he endured before he became Batista and serve as an inspiration for people who are also struggling with issues.

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6 John Cena

One of the Biggest Stars In Wrestling Who Became The Face of WWE

John Cena is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in wrestling. He has won multiple titles across his career and was the headliner for multiple events for WWE. He has since moved into acting, appearing in movies such as Ferdinand, Bumblebee, and The Suicide Squad.

If a biopic was created about Cena, it would need to focus on how he rose to become the face of WWE. He started as a bodybuilder, working in menial jobs before he signed as a wrestler; his first gimmick for the company was as a loudmouthed rapper, where he gained his first success. A biopic of Cena would be good at seeing how he transitioned from holding paper championships that he created as a child to becoming a record-breaking 16-time World Champion and a successful actor.

5 Randy Savage

A Popular and Flamboyant Wrestler Who Experienced Both Success And Difficulties In Life

The life and career of Macho Man Randy Savage is certainly worthy of a biopic. He was one of the most over-the-top and flamboyant wrestlers of all time, recognized for his colorful attire and captivating wrestling performances. Outside the ring, Savage released a rap album and made several cameo appearances in television shows and movies, most notably as Bonesaw McGraw in Spider-Man.

Savage had a very successful career that lasted 32 years. However, he faced issues in his personal life; his on-screen rivalry with Hulk Hogan spilled outside the ring and his marriage to Miss Elizabeth, who appeared on TV as his on-screen manager, ended in divorce in 1992. Savage’s successful wrestling career and the issues in his personal life would blend to create a captivating biopic about the late Macho Man.

4 Shawn Michaels

Overcame a Severe Drug Addiction to Become One of the Greatest Wrestlers In History

The Heartbreak Kid, The Showstopper, and Mr. Wrestlemania are just a few of the nicknames that were given to Shawn Michaels throughout his wrestling career. He achieved immense success as a solo wrestler with 4 World Champion titles and as a member of the popular tag teams The Rockers and Degeneration-X. Michaels also took part in many first installments of popular matches, including Hell in a Cell and the Elimination Chamber and his Wrestlemania matches with the Undertaker and Ric Flair are often regarded as some of the best in Wrestlemania history.

In the early stages of his career, however, Shawn Michaels faced severe problems with drink and drug abuse; his addiction impacted his work and friendships, and he exhibited poor behavior while performing. A severe back injury in 1998 also halted his wrestling career for four years before he was able to turn things around and return to the ring in 2002. A biopic of Michaels’ life would be able to look at the early successes of his career, his drug issues, and how he was able to overcome his problems and become a legendary performer.

3 Eddie Guerrero

Defeated His Personal Demons To Become a Wrestling Champion

Eddie Guerrero’s life is a story of losing it all before fighting your way back to the top. A member of the Guerrero wrestling family and uncle to Chavo Guerrero Jr. who made an appearance in The Iron Claw, Eddie Guerrero rose to prominence in WWE as “Latino Heat” but had a severe drug addiction that led him to be fired in 2001. After a stint on the independent circuit, Guerrero was given another chance in 2002 and was able to work his way back up, becoming the WWE Champion in 2004.

A biopic of Eddie Guerrero could easily serve as an inspiration for audiences. His addictions caused him to hit rock bottom, but he was able to overcome his demons and become a legendary wrestling star. Guerrero’s untimely death in 2005 shocked the wrestling community, but his incredible story of falling and getting back up serves as inspiration today and would certainly be an excellent biopic.

2 Bret Hart

A Canadian Wrestling Icon Who Overcame Controversy and Tragedy

Known as “The Hitman”, Bret Hart started off wrestling for his father’s company, Stampede Wrestling, before signing with the WWE in 1984. He quickly rose to become one of the company’s most iconic performers and is credited with bringing the technical side of wrestling to international attention. Bret Hart won 32 titles throughout his wrestling career and is seen as one of the best wrestlers to ever step into a ring; however, his career was not without its controversies.

In 1997, Hart was involved in an infamous event known as the Montreal Screwjob, which led to him leaving WWE on bad terms, and in 1999, his youngest brother Owen Hart was killed in an entrance stunt gone wrong, which deeply impacted the Hart family. After a severe concussion forced his retirement in 2000, Bret Hart was able to reconcile with WWE and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2006. The highs and lows of Bret Hart’s professional and personal life would certainly serve as a great biopic about The Hitman.

1 The Undertaker

One Of The Most Iconic Wrestlers In History With A Successful Career Spanning 30 Years

With a career spanning over 30 years, Mark Calaway, better known as the Undertaker, is recognized as the most iconic wrestler in sports history. Debuting at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in 1990, he went on to become a 7-time World Champion and was involved in many high-profile matches across his career; one of his most notable achievements is his famous Wrestlemania streak of 21 straight wins. The Undertaker is seen as one of the most popular wrestling characters ever created and Calaway is one of the most respected wrestlers in the industry.

In the years after his retirement, Calaway has opened up about the pressures he faced during his career as the Undertaker and how he struggled with confidence in his final matches. He also talked about how he expanded on his wrestling character throughout his career; the Undertaker’s times as the American Badass and the Deadman proved successful in increasing his popularity with wrestling audiences. As the longest-serving wrestler for WWE with multiple different achievements, the life and career of The Undertaker is definitely worthy of receiving a biopic film.