You might not think of pro wrestling as "gorgeous" or "evocative," and yet that's exactly how Mashable's reviewer described The Iron Claw. With a star-studded ensemble cast featuring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White, the A24 drama tackles the real-life story of the Von Erich's wrestling dynasty. A commercial and critical success, earning $35 million at the U.S. box office and plenty of glowing reviews, The Iron Claw is finally coming to streaming. (If you can't wait, it's available now through video-on-demand platforms.)
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch The Iron Claw at home.
What is The Iron Claw about?
Directed by Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene), The Iron Claw tells the tragic story of one of pro wrestling's most famous families, the Von Erichs. It follows four brothers — Kevin (Efron), Kerry (Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson), and Mike (Stanley Simons) — who fight for their family legacy while suffering under the training of their ruthless father Fritz (Holt McCallany). As tragedy after tragedy befalls them, people begin to think the family is cursed.
"Most wrestling fans know the details of this family saga, but others might be shocked by the accumulation of misery, pushing the limits of how much one family can endure," Siddhant Adlakha writes in his review for Mashable.
Read our full review of The Iron Claw.
Here's a glimpse at the film's official trailer:
Is The Iron Claw worth watching?
As mentioned above, The Iron Claw was largely a success, boasting glowing reviews and solid box office numbers. In fact, it's one of only six A24 films to reach the $35 million domestic earnings milestone. At Rotten Tomatoes, it's sitting at an 89 percent critic rating and 94 percent audience rating — neither of which is an easy feat.
While our reviewer ultimately thought it pulled its punches a bit and could've hit even harder, he also dubbed it a career-best performance for Efron. Whether you're a fan of Efron, of pro wrestling, or A24 dramas, it's certainly one you won't want to miss.
Can I watch The Iron Claw at home?
For those wanting to watch the tear-jerking wrestling drama at home, The Iron Claw is available to rent or buy on digital on-demand platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV. It will also make its streaming debut in May (more on that below).
Here are some of the platforms where you can rent or purchase the film:
Prime Video — $5.99 to rent or $19.99 to buy ($3.74 and $17.74 for Prime members)
Apple TV — $5.99 to rent or $19.99 to buy
Fandango at Home — $5.99 to rent or $19.99 to buy
YouTube — $5.99 to rent or $19.99 to buy
Google Play — starting at $4.99 to rent or $19.99 to buy
When is The Iron Claw streaming?
After opening in theaters on Dec. 22, 2023, The Iron Claw is set to make its streaming debut on Max on May 10, 2024.
Before you sign up for a Max subscription, it's worth double checking that you don't already have access to the streamer through a prior subscription, a third party, or a cable, internet, or wireless provider. If you do still need to sign up for access, check out the streaming deals below.
The best Max streaming deals
Best Max deal for most people: Save up to 20% on an annual plan
Rather than paying a monthly fee, you can opt for a Max annual plan and save up to 22%. Max With Ads typically runs you $9.99 per month, which ends up adding up to $119.88 for the year. If you go with the annual plan instead, you'll pay just $99.99 — about 17% in savings. The Ad-Free annual plan goes for $149.99 per year, which saves you 22% compared to the regular price of $191.88 (the biggest savings of all three plans), and the Ultimate plan goes for $199.99 per year (reg. $239.88), which saves you 17%. It may be more to pay up front, but in the long run, it'll keep more money in your wallet.
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with Ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan
If you're looking for a way to get Max for free, listen up. Those on the Cricket Wireless $60 per month unlimited plan get access to Max With Ads with their account (as long as it remains in good standing). Head on over to the Max app or navigate to Max on a browser, then sign in using Cricket as your provider. Once you enter your credentials, you'll unlock full access to Max With Ads (typically a $99.99 per year value) for free. If you're a Cricket customer, but on a different plan, you can upgrade or switch over to secure the deal at any time. Head over to the Cricket website for the terms and conditions.
What are the different Max subscription tiers?
Similar to the old HBO Max streaming service, Max offers three unique subscription tiers: With Ads, Ad-Free, and Ultimate Ad-Free. Here's a brief breakdown of the different tiers and what they include.
Max With Ads
Two concurrent streams
1080p resolution
5.1 surround sound quality
Light ads
No offline downloads
Max Ad-Free
Two concurrent streams
1080p resolution
5.1 surround sound quality
No ads
30 offline downloads
Max Ultimate Ad-Free
Four concurrent streams
Up to 4K resolution
Dolby Atmos sound quality
No ads
100 offline downloads
Topics HBO Streaming How to Watch
