10 Brilliant Wrestling Moments Clearly Inspired By Iconic Movies

When WWE announced they were going to name the 28 October 2020 edition of NXT Halloween Havoc, it was hard to know what to expect. While the nostalgic hug of a giant pumpkin brought a certain warmth, there was a chance WWE intended to make this episode of NXT much like The Great American Bash, which was more or less a giant sticker placed over two episodes of NXT.

However, Halloween Havoc not only had the typical aesthetics of a WCW-themed show, but it also maintained a spooky theme that played throughout the night.

It all culminated when Cameron Grimes fought Dexter Lumis in a Haunted House of Terror Match, which may not have been called a "House of Horror" to avoid reminding fans of the disastrous cinematic match between Randy Orton and cult leader Bray Wyatt.

The match was heavily inspired by popular horror movies from the last couple of decades. Early on, the match includes an uncanny resemblance to The Blair Witch Project with shaky footage and a crazed response from a referee. From the spooky tricycle to the shower scene later on, however, it becomes clear The Shining had a major influence on many segments during Part I of the match. But unlike many other entries on this list, the Haunted House of Terror Match didn't use the movie references as a crutch. Instead, it was an eerie brawl that relied on both wrestlers' performances as much as it did its horror tropes.