Now that Vince McMahon is retired, wrestling fans are watching the war between WWE and AEW (and to a lesser extent Impact Wrestling) with renewed interest. Professional wrestling has been a staple of popular culture worldwide for generations.
The world of sports entertainment extends beyond the mat though, as these movies prove. Hollywood’s love affair with wrestling (and wrestlers, which is a whole other list) produced some pretty great movies. Here are the top 20 movies about wrestling of all time.
1. Beyond the Mat (1999)
In the 20th Century, fans had little access to see behind the kayfabe storylines. But this documentary from Barry W. Blaustein changed all that, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the daily lives of wrestlers like Terry Funk, Mick Foley, Jack Roberts, Droz, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. It’s an eye-opening peak at their real-life struggles.
2. The Wrestler (2008)
Mickey Rourke turns in a killer performance as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a wrestler aged past his prime struggling to balance his personal life, family, career, and his health. It also features a slew of indie (and hardcore) professional wrestlers like Ernest “The Cat” Miller, Ron Killings, Jay Lethal, The Blue Meanie, DJ Hyde, and Drew Gulak.
3. Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling (2015)
This brilliant movie from Max Landis is available free on YouTube and breaks down the story of Triple H in a comedic yet insightful fashion. His entire career is isolated to prove the power of long-term storytelling in the WWE. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should.
4. Ready to Rumble (2000)
David Arquette and Scott Caan worked with a variety of Monday Night Wars-era WCW wrestlers at the turn of the millennium for a decent comedy about wrestling. It led to him actually appearing on WCW television and even becoming world heavyweight champion for a brief period. Look for appearances from Bam Bam Bigelow, Diamond Dallas Page, Sid Vicious, Booker T, Sting, The Nitro Girls, and more.
5. Man on the Moon (1999)
Andy Kaufman was a comedian’s comedian who loved professional wrestling. His biopic recreates his famous feud with Jerry “The King” Lawler (who plays himself opposite Jim Carrey as Kaufman). Also Jim Ross and Lance Russell appear throughout these scenes in Memphis where Kaufman mocks the crowd, brags about being from Hollywood, and lays the foundation for The Miz decades later.
6. Foxcatcher (2014)
This one is based on a true story of Mark and Dave Schultz, real-life Olympic gold medalist wrestlers. Dave was unfortunately murdered in 1996 by John du Pont, the wealthy heir to the du Pont family fortune. Kurt Angle trained with Team Foxcatcher at the time of Schultz’s death, but he’s not directly portrayed in the film. Brock Lesnar does appear as an unnamed wrestler though.
Want more wrestling action? Check out the most dangerous matches in professional wrestling history.
7. Fighting with My Family (2019)
Paige was the first NXT Women’s Champion and is a legend in the sport. This fictional movie is based a 2012 documentary about her, called The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family. Stephen Merchant wrote and directed it, while The Rock, Big Show, Sheamus, and The Miz have cameos.
8. The Last Champion (2020)
John Wright was an Olympic wrestler who won a gold medal at a young age in this movie based on a true story. That medal (and the accolades and respect that come with it) was inevitably taken from him as he tested positive for usage of performance-enhancing drugs. He returns to his home town after his mother dies and tries for redemption.
9. Nacho Libre (2006)
Nacho Libre is an underrated Jack Black gem showing him compete as a luche libre to earn money for the orphanage he works at. Luchadors Silver King, Human Tornado, and Mascarita Dorada appear in this hilarious film.
10.Paradise Alley (1978)
Sylvestor Stallone is better known for boxing in Rocky, but his directorial debut focused on professional wrestling. Look for appearances from Ted DiBiase and Terry Funk.
11. You Cannot Kill David Arquette (2020)
By the late 2010s, David Arquette for some reason wanted to revive his wrestling career based on his movie about wrestling. The introspective has him performing on the indie circuit and facing daunting obstacles. Look for appearances from Ric Flair, Mr. T, RJ Skinner, Brody King, and more.
12. The Wrestler (1974)
This is a throwback to the pre-WWF days of wrestling as mobsters attempt to muscle in on a professional wrestling promoter’s business. Look for cameos from legends like Verne Gagne, Dick The Bruiser, and Dusty Rhodes.
13. Kayfabe: A Fake Real Movie About A Fake Real Sport (2007)
This Canadian mockumentary is like Spinal Tap for wrestling fans. It follows an independent wrestling promotion, the Tri-Cities International Championship Wrestling Federation (TCICWF) in a documentary style for some great comedic moments.
14. The Main Event (2020)
This Netflix Original is about an 11-year-old kid who discovers a magical mask and becomes a professional wrestler in the WWE. There are cameos from The Miz, Keith Lee, Corey Graves, Renee Young, Kofi Kingston, and Sheamus, among others.
15. Body Slam (1986)
This 1980’s comedy is everything (for better or worse) about the era. A struggling music promoter pivots into wrestling and features the stars of the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling era, like “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Sam Fatu, Afa & Sika Anoa’i, Ric Flair, Bruno Samartino, and Captain Lou Albano.
16. Rumble (2021)
This animated film features Will Arnett doing his best Seth Rogen impression as the lead. It’s set in a world with monsters and humans living in harmony, and monsters playing the part of professional wrestlers. The movie was made in partnership with WWE Studios and also has the voices of Roman Reigns and Becky Lynch (along with Michael Buffer).
17. American Wrestler: The Wizard (2017)
This movie is based on the true story of Ali Afshar, who moved to America from Iran in 1980 only to face even more hostility thanks to racism. He eventually becomes the star attraction in a struggling high school wrestling team and uses it to prove his worth.
18. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
This movie follows Zak, a young man with Down syndrome, who escapes a state-run facility to train as a professional wrestler. It’s an interesting story of an odd couple with cameos from Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Mick Foley.
19. No Holds Barred (1989)
Although an 80s pop cultural icon, Hulk Hogan’s movies were never very good. However, it’s still worth watching this one (which ended up leaking into WWE televised shows) just to make your own decision. You’ll also be treated with cameos from a host of wrestling personalities, like Stan Hansen, “Mean” Gene Okerland, Howard Finkel, Joey Marella, and Jesse Ventura.
20. Pinned (2009)
Pinned is a documentary following two high school wrestlers in Ohio hoping to become champions. The public school champion has a natural aptitude and strength for the sport, but he faces a private-school wrestler whose father has him do anything (including fighting a 600-pound bear) to win.