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The whole concept of professional wrestling is based on storytelling. Since everyone knows that the in-ring action is scripted, the major attraction is the quality of stories being told through a combination of promos and wrestling.
Even outside the ring, the world of professional wrestling is filled with unbelievable stories. These are real life incidents that have helped shape the business into what it is today. So, considering that professional wrestling is filled with such stories both on-screen and behind the scenes, why is there such a dearth of great wrestling movies?
Also read: 10 WWE Superstars who broke the ring
Other than The Wrestler no other movie has come close to achieving critical success. Maybe it's because film makers haven't been exposed to these extraordinary tales. If more people were in the know when it comes to some of the most famous wrestling tales, perhaps we would have more successful wrestling movies.
With that in mind, I have compiled a list of stories that would be perfect for the big screen. So, without any further ado, here are 5 professional wrestling stories that would make great movies:
#5 The Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit tragedies
We start this list off on a sombre note. In 2005, professional wrestling and the WWE lost a superb wrestler and even better human being who went by the name of Eddie Guerrero. The legendary Latino performer died of a heart failure at the age of 38, leaving family and friends heartbroken.
One of the people most affected by his death was his dear friend Chris Benoit. The loss of Eddie combined with his numerous brain issues due to concussions eventually led the Rabid Wolverine to murder his wife and son before taking his own life in a double-homicide suicide.
It's one of the most devastating series of events to hit the wrestling industry and it led to Benoit's entire history being erased from the WWE's records. His name isn't even mentioned anymore. And, to think the two men were World Champions on the same night just years earlier.
It is a tragic tale but one that would make a compelling movie, nonetheless.
#4 The Daniel Bryan story
At Wrestlemania XXX, Daniel Bryan overcame all the odds to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of the 30th annual edition of professional wrestling's biggest show.
It was the culmination of a long and arduous road for a young man who was never supposed to hit the heights he did. Dismissed as being too small and not connecting well with audiences, D-Bry was never given a second thought by WWE management.
Then the Yes Movement began. It was ignored. In response, it grew to become the biggest thing in the wrestling world as fans all across the planet bellowed for the indie darling to be given his moment in the sun.
It became such a huge phenomenon that the WWE actually changed its original plans for Wrestlemania 30 and gave Bryan a victory that was widely celebrated as a triumph for the common man.
#3 The Steroid Scandal of 1994
In 1994, the WWE was in big big trouble. Vince McMahon and his company were being investigated for supplying steroids to wrestlers working for the company and said wrestlers being encouraged to pop those pills regularly.
The biggest wrestling promotion in the world was brought to its knees and their opposition was convinced that the case was airtight. They had two key witnesses. The second of whom was none other than Hulk Hogan - the biggest professional wrestler in the world. It would be the end of professional wrestling as we knew it.
Then, out of the blue, everything changed. A key witness - an ex-WWE wrestler by the name of Nailz - was discredited as a witness. But, the kicker came when Hulk Hogan stated under oath that Vince knew nothing about the steroids and had nothing to do with it.
The case fell apart, and the WWE went on to incredible success. It's the most incredible of stories.
#2 The Montreal Screwjob
In the thick of the Monday Night Wars, Bret Hart was the WWE Champion and was about to jump ship to WCW. He was to drop the belt to Shawn Michaels - a real-life and on-screen nemesis of The Hitman.
The Canadian, Hart agreed, under the condition that he wouldn't be dropping it at Survivor Series - which was happening in Canada - but rather the next night on Monday Night Raw. Everything seemed to be in order.
Except, Vince McMahon didn't want to risk that Bret could just turn up on WCW Monday Nitro with the WWE Championship instead. So, he devised a plan where he instructed the ref to ring the bell when Shawn locked Bret in the Sharpshooter even though The Hitman never tapped out.
Pandemonium broke out in the aftermath and it remains the greatest example of real-life meeting scripted performances that fateful night in 1997.
Sure, there's a documentary on the same but a feature film would do the event far more justice.
#1 The Monday Night Wars
When Billionaire, Ted Turner took over WCW, he wanted to make the promotion bigger than the WWE. So, he announced the launch of Monday Nitro to compete against WWE's Monday Night Raw. In 1995, Lex Luger - who was supposed to be a WWE wrestler - turned up on the inaugural episode of Nitro and the Monday Night Wars were born.
What followed was the WCW dominating the rating chart as Turner simply outpriced Vince McMahon. He offered bumper contracts to WWE's biggest stars to make them jump ship and it looked like the WWE was heading for bankruptcy.
Then, everything changed with The Montreal Screwjob. Bret Hart outed Vince as the owner of WWE when the latter had been maintaining a cover position as the commentator for his own promotion and this gave rise to the villainous Mr McMahon - the greatest heel of The Attitude Era.
At the same time, Stone Cold Steve Austin rose to prominence as the greatest face of The Attitude Era and the WWE turned things on its head, forcing WCW into eventually selling to its hated rivals.
As a story, it is unparalleled in its entertainment and it wasn't even scripted.
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