10 (Other) Movies About Wrestling That Hollywood Needs To Make

hart mcmahon

Though they used to be once in a blue moon occasions, movies like Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler have managed to help shift the perception of professional wrestling in the mainstream sphere, even if that only relates to evoking more sympathy for these modern-day gladiators than simply mocking them. This trend continues with the production of Crossface, a biopic of late WWE star Chris Benoit, and more prominently, Bennett Miller's upcoming Foxcatcher, based on Olympic Wrestling Champion Mark Schultz's autobiography and starring Channing Tatum, Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo. As a wrestling fan, this got me thinking - what other shocking scandals and must-see wrestling stories haven't made it to the big screen yet? Some of these may have limited audiences, while others have a broader-reaching appeal, but each certainly has an inherently cinematic quality that certainly warrants the big-screen treatment...

10. The Montreal Screwjob

The most infamous "storyline" in wrestling history remains easily its most controversial, as Bret Hart defended his WWF Title against Shawn Michaels at the Survivor Series 1997 and saw himself the victim of an attack from the puppet-master himself, Vince McMahon. McMahon had apparently agreed with Hart, who was soon to depart to WCW for a bigger pay-packet, that he wouldn't have to drop the title on his home Canadian turf, and the match would end with a non-finish that allowed him to retain the title. Bret was set to drop the title on RAW the next day, but Vince covertly had other plans, ordering Earl Hebner, who was also in on it, to ring the bell when HBK had The Hitman in his own Sharpshooter finisher. It was clear to everyone watching that Bret hadn't tapped, and the fracas at ringside only made it more evident that something very strange had transpired indeed. Once the details of the Screwjob became public, McMahon was an instantly reviled character, and ever the enterprising sort, he used this new-found hate to make himself an on-screen heel character going by the name of Mr. McMahon who has flourished ever since. The Screwjob has been alluded to countless times ever since, and continues to divide wrestling fans down the middle.
 
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Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.