What are the best wrestling movies of all time? If you tried to think of all the movies about wrestling that exist, you probably didn’t come up with very many.
You might even believe that there aren’t that many films available on the subject, to begin with. The reality is that there have been several films made about wrestling and subjects closely related to the sport.
However, they don’t appear to be as popular as other mainstream Hollywood films for the most part. With that said, some people have managed to break out from the mold and achieve great success in their own right.
Wrestling, in reality, has always been a contentious sport. There isn’t nearly as much controversy as there is in professional wrestling when it comes to high school or college wrestling.
Professional wrestling has been a source of controversy since its inception. The admission that they staged wrestling match events and that the athletes were just as many performers as anything else is at its heart.
Of course, there has been controversy since then, mainly involving people who didn’t follow the script, drug-related issues, and the way certain wrestlers conduct their lives outside of the ring.
Without delving too much into wrestling controversy, let’s discuss some of the best wrestling movies.
1. Beyond the mat (1999)
This is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating documentaries on the subject ever filmed. It’s more of a documentary than a film, going further into the world of professional wrestlers.
The film focuses on their lives outside of the ring, allowing you, the spectator, to see what you are up to while you are not performing.
Also, you’ll notice that the same people screaming at the top of their lungs during a wrestling bout are usually gentle-spoken and kind.
Vince McMahon, a figure that many wrestling fans despise, is also featured in this documentary. If nothing else, it’s worth seeing what he’s like outside of the ring.
2. The True Story Of Wrestlemania (2011)
This is yet another film. It, too, involves McMahon and his stable of wrestlers who typically perform for his company.
WrestleMania has evolved into one of the most anticipated events in modern-day wrestling, and this tale will take you behind the scenes of what it’s all about.
One thing is sure: after seeing this documentary, you will never look at wrestling the same way again. As a result, whether you are a die-hard fan or just a casual spectator, it is well worth seeing.
3. Ready to Rumble (2000)
This may not be a terrific film for the ordinary spectator, but it is a lighthearted love letter that embraces the joys of pro wrestling fandom.
It stars David Arquette (who would become the controversial WCW World Heavyweight Champion due to the film’s popularity) and Scott Caan as two rabid fans who go all out to prove to their favorite wrestler.
Oliver Platt that he still has what it takes. It’s a lot of fun, with a terrific cast of characters, and while it’s a little ridiculous at times, it never makes light of the sport. Furthermore, the cameos by WCW stars are the most enjoyable part.
Sting, Bill Goldberg, Randy Savage, Diamond Dallas Page, and Bill Goldberg all make appearances. It’s difficult to be a wrestling fan and not smile while watching this, especially now that there are twenty years of nostalgia. Without a doubt, this is one of the best Wrestling movies ever made.
4. Nacho Libre (2006)
Nacho portrays Jack Black as a Catholic monk who works as a chef at an orphanage during the day and wrestles at night to generate money for the institution.
This is another goofy wrestling festival loosely based on a true story. Still, this time it focuses on Lucha libre. A form of Mexican professional wrestling that features masked stars and high-flying feats.
Director Jared Hess, well known for his work on Napoleon Dynamite, returns with another oddball cast of characters.
Although not everything works, Black’s insane excitement, especially in the wrestling scenes, is spot on.
Furthermore, This is an odd film with all the potty humor you’d expect from Jack Black, but it’s also a lovely one about love and finding a way to give back, all while transporting us to a world most of us have never seen.
5. Foxcatcher (2014)
When foxcather was first released a few years ago, this film made a lot of news. It follows the recruiting of Olympic gold medalists who were essentially masters in wrestling, and it stars Channing Tatum.
The film offers a scathing look at some of the trials and tribulations these people have faced. It’s a dark film, but it’s also a unique perspective on the subject.
You don’t know what you’re missing if you haven’t seen it. So, please watch this movie. It is one of the best wrestling movies ever made.
6. The Resurrection of Jake the Snake (2015)
The life of famous wrestler Jake “The Snake” Roberts is chronicled in this stunning documentary.
He was once a massive success in the 1980s, but his life spiraled out of control following several fights with drugs and alcohol.
We now see Roberts in his daily life as he battles his demons and attempts to heal his body and mind. Diamond Dallas Page, a fellow wrestler, makes several appearances.
He now works as a yoga instructor and takes Roberts and another drug addict, Scott Hall, under his wing.
Archival film and interviews are interspersed throughout, celebrating his accomplishments and terrible public demise.
Instead of being a tragic story, this is a story of determination and the fight to save one’s own life. However, Roberts is reborn in the end.
Also, with WWE, he gets one last chance to shine as he is inducted into their Hall of Fame.
7. Paradise Alley (1978)
This is a film that was not only written and directed by Sylvester Stallone but also starred him. Paradise Alley follows the lives of three brothers who grew up in an intricate part of New York City in the 1940s.
The film follows their lives as they rise through the ranks of professional wrestlers. Paving a path for themselves where many others believed none existed.
This is a Stallone film that many people are unfamiliar with. Many of his admirers have never heard of this film, which recounts a compelling story based on actual events. Whether you’re a fan of Stallone, it’s well worth your time to see.
8. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
This critically praised heartwarming adventure stars Shia LeBeouf and Dakota Johnson as a man with Down Syndrome (Zack Gottsegen) who escapes from an assisted living facility to pursue his ambition of becoming a professional wrestler.
He meets a fisher, played by Shia LeBeouf, along the way. Instead of mocking him, LeBeouf supports him and assists him in becoming in shape.
Furthermore, they travel across the country to meet a wrestling trainer. It becomes a buddy road trip movie.
Jake Roberts even gets a little part, proving that he is still going strong after these years. Without a doubt, this is one of the best wrestling movies ever made.
9. Fighting With My Family (2019)
This movie on the emergence of WWE superstar Paige was produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This portrayal, together with Midsommar, cemented Florence Pugh’s status as one of the year’s most promising actors.
As a British adolescent who only wants to be a professional wrestler, she hits it out of the park. Paige’s effort to realize her dream is followed by the audience.
Also, It’s the ultimate ironic fish out of water story, with Paige in WWE’s developmental brand surrounded by numerous women who come from the modeling industry and have no wrestling background.
However, Paige has been wrestling for years with her family. Furthermore, Paige considers quitting after being chastised for her appearance and how she speaks.
Still, with the help of her ever-present family, she overcomes her fears and becomes the women’s champion on her first day on the WWE main roster. This is another inspiring story on the importance of tenacity being one of the best wrestling movies.
10. The Wrestler (1974)
This one is more concerned with promoting individuals in the sport of wrestling than with the athletes themselves.
You might be startled to hear that the main character is Ed Asner, who played Mary Tyler Moore on the Mary Tyler Moore Show for many years.
He plays the promoter in this film, and he does a terrific job, as you might anticipate. This is unquestionably a classic that should be on everyone’s to-do list.
11. Andre The Giant (2018)
Andre the Giant was the biggest name in professional wrestling in the 1980s, both physically and figuratively.
The life and times of the World’s Eighth Wonder are explored in this HBO documentary.
While there are some difficulties he had that are explored, such as the physical agony he experienced due to his size, this film primarily serves as a celebration of Andre’s enormous impact on everyone around him. His WWF days are remembered in joyful interviews with Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon.
Still, we also see how he went over into the mainstream in reminiscences with actors like Billy Crystal and Cary Elwes, especially for his famous appearance in The Princess Bride.
Moreover, Andre was a force to be reckoned with, impossible to look away from. The same thing happens when you watch this gripping documentary.
12. Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows (1998)
The focus of this documentary about Bret “The Hitman” Hart is not on reminiscing about Hart’s career. It puts us right in its heart, in the midst of what turns out to be his career’s most pivotal moment.
It’s 1997, and Hart is the top star in the WWF. However, Ted Turner’s WCW is luring many stars away from the WWF, and Hart is torn between being loyal to an organization he’s been with for more than a decade and leaving to try something new.
We unintentionally witness one of wrestling’s most memorable moments, the Montreal Screwjob.
Having decided to join WCW, Hart is screwed out of the WWF Championship in his farewell bout in an angle so startling that it’s still hard to believe it was all true.
13. Warrior (2011)
This is a Nick Nolte film about two brothers who aren’t particularly close. They can’t stand each other, to tell you the truth. When they wind up competing in the same competition, though, everything changes.
The difficulties they will confront there will compel them to examine themselves and their relationship honestly. Finally, these difficulties have the potential to bring them closer than they have ever been.
14. No Holds Barred (1989)
This is a good action film, so this could be the film for you if you enjoy that type. Hulk Hogan, one of wrestling’s most animated characters, stars in it.
It’s a good film about wrestling, and it doesn’t hurt that it stars one of the industry’s most well-known figures as the primary character. In addition, if you haven’t seen it yet, you should.
15. Reversal (2001)
This is a good film about Leo Leone, a famous high school wrestler. The film follows him as he progresses through the ranks of wrestling, first in high school and then in college. It’s a solid film with some excellent points to make. And it’s well worth seeing, even if you’re not a big wrestling fan.
16. Win Win (2011)
This is another film that may be classified as a comedy. In terms of genre, it’s a comedic drama starring Paul Giamatti.
Although many people appear to be on the fence regarding this film, it has remained prevalent since its premiere. Maybe it’s an attempt to merge drama and comedy in a wrestling movie.
But you’ll either love it or hate it. However, it doesn’t appear that many people have a grey area when it comes to this one. It made this list for a reason, and it is well worth your time. This is one of the best Wrestling movies.
17. Over The Top (1987)
This is yet another Sylvester Stallone film. He’s fighting for custody of his child in this one. His back is against the wall as a truck driver who is up against a wealthy family.
As a result, he decides to enter an arm-wrestling competition in the hopes of winning enough money to reclaim his child. You could think the film doesn’t sound very intriguing.
Yet it is one of the most entertaining and moving films of the 1980s. However, if you haven’t seen it yet, you should. Also, you’ll likely have a lot of fun with it.
18. Vision Quest (1985)
This Matthew Modine film is more about the difficulties of growing up than it is about wrestling. The protagonist wrestles, but he does it with more than his opponents.
As a young man approaching adulthood, he faces many of the same obstacles that everyone at his age does. The film does a terrific job blending the wrestling scenes with the rest of the tale and effortlessly tying it together.
19. The Wrestler (2008)
This Darren Aronofsky-directed movie better captures the ups and downs of being a professional wrestler than any other fictional film.
Mickey Rourke drastically altered himself for his role as a damaged. An old professional wrestler who, because of his love for wrestling, refuses to let go of the past and realizes that his most okay days are behind him, earning him an Academy Award nomination.
It’s difficult to watch as we follow Rourke’s character through the day-to-day drama of him trying to reconcile with his adult daughter and falling in love with a stripper (Marisa Tomei in this movie was also nominated for one Academy Award for this film), as well as doing whatever it takes to maintain his waning celebrity.
Finally, there is something on this list for everyone, whether you favor comedy or drama, or even if you want to watch a documentary.
You might be a wrestling fan who wants to see almost all of the films on this list. On the other hand, you could not be a huge fan, but one or two of these films have piqued your attention.
This is a terrific place to start if you’re searching for something to do in the evening or on the weekend, no matter what the case may be. So, Enjoy.
