Zac Efron transforms into ripped wrestler Kevin Von Erich in first still from The Iron Claw

Zac Efron showcased his jaw-dropping transformation into wrestler Kevin Von Erich as he pulled off a drop-kick in a first still from new movie, The Iron Claw.

The former High School Musical star, 35, who has wowed fans with his beefed up new physique, was seen jumping into a wrestling ring and attacking his opponent as crowds watched on in an explosive scene.

The star displayed his very muscular frame in a pair of blue singlets as an astonished referee watched on.

Wow: Zac Efron showcased his jaw-dropping transformation into wrestler Kevin Von Erich as he pulled off a drop-kick in a first still from new movie, The Iron Claw

The star captioned the snap posted on Monday: ‘First Look at my latest project Iron Claw! Can’t wait to show you more…let’s go.’

The Iron Claw is a drama based on the Von Erich family, who created a dynasty that made a huge impact on the sport in their heyday in the 1960s until tragedy struck, again, and again.

Kevin Von Erich, now 65, is best known for his appearances with his father Fritz’s World Class Championship Wrestling promotion. He is a one-time world champion, having held the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship.

Speaking to TMZ, Kevin said, while he hasn’t spoken to Zac personally, he gets his seal of approval to play him in the film.

The real Kevin Von Erich: The Iron Claw is a drama based on the Von Erich family, who created a dynasty that made a huge impact on the sport in their heyday in the 1960s until tragedy struck, again, and again

Transformed: Zac has been wowing fans with his body transformation (pictured last week)

He said: ‘He’s got some tough work ahead of him, but I saw a picture of the guy, he looked great. I never looked that good. I think he’s gonna do great.

‘My daughters showed me his photo and he looked great. He really must be working out hard.

‘My daughters love him and they think he’s the right guy. I’m excited to watch it.’

Fritz Von Erich, whose real name was Jack Adkisson, began his career playing a Nazi on the wrestling circuit in the 50s and 60s.

 He later became a successful promoter for World Class Championship Wrestling.  

The film takes its name from the Von Erich’s legendary finishing hold which was used by many of his children who followed him into the ring. 

Tragically, five of Fritz’s six sons died young, with Kevin the only surviving child by the time Fritz died in 1997, aged 68.

Head of the family: Fritz Von Erich, whose real name was Jack Adkisson, began his career playing a Nazi on the wrestling circuit in the 50s and 60s (pictured 1963)

Tragic: Kevin is the last surviving son out of six of the dynasty (pictured with brothers Kerry right and David left, who died aged 25 of a suspected painkiller overdose on February 10, 1984)

His first son, Jack Barton Adkisson, Jr., died aged six in 1959 after he was accidentally shocked unconscious by an exposed wire and drowned in a puddle.

Third son David died aged 25 of a suspected painkiller overdose during a tour with All Japan Pro Wrestling on February 10, 1984. The family would later claim his death was caused by ruptured intestines resulting from acute enteritis.

Fourth son Kerry died by suicide aged 33 in 1993 – seven years after a motorcycle accident which caused his right foot to be amputated.   

Fifth son Mike committed suicide aged just 23 in 1987 while sixth son Chris took his own life in 1991 aged 21.

The drama, will be directed by Sean Durkin, 40, who also wrote the script. 

The project is being described as gritty and unlike anything the Firestarter actor has done to date. 

Last month Zac revealed he fell into a deep depression while training for his 2017 film, Baywatch. 

The star who looked absolutely ripped in the film, said in a new interview this week that he was training so hard and taking diuretics that he became depressed. 

Zac also said he started to suffer from Insomnia and felt ‘burned out’ due to the intense training and filming schedule.

He told Men’s Health: ‘That Baywatch look, I don’t know if that’s really attainable.’

‘There’s just too little water in the skin. Like, it’s fake; it looks CGI’d.’

Zac said he took Lasix, a diuretic, to help achieve his ripped look in the film which eventually took a toll on his mental health. 

He added: ‘I started to develop insomnia and I fell into a pretty bad depression, for a long time. Something about that experience burned me out.’ 

‘I had a really hard time recentering. Ultimately they chalked it up to taking way too many diuretics for way too long, and it messed something up.’ 

Beset by tragedy: Sixth son Chris (first L) took his own life in 1991 aged 21 and is pictured with Mike, Kevin, mother Doris and Kerry

Zac previously told the publication in 2020 that he skipped carbs to shed the weight for Baywatch. 

‘When I shot Baywatch, I didn’t have a carb for, like, six months,’ he said.

‘I almost lost my mind. You need this. I still can’t get over how this diet of carbs and low protein is the exact opposite of any trainer has ever taught me.’

According to Healthline, Zac worked out with the help of a personal trainer and did a series of grueling workouts to get into tip top shape for Baywatch.

‘Efron’s Baywatch movie training program involved an ever-changing approach, involving full-body workouts, two-day splits, three-day splits, power training, strength training, stability and balance training, lifeguard training, hiking, biking, obstacle course training, and more,’ his trainer Patrick Murphy said.

‘Simply put, he ended up shredded.’

Zac was the center of plastic surgery rumors last year, but the hunky actor has revealed all in the October 2022 issue of Men’s Health magazine.

He told the monthly that it was as a result of shattering his jaw and slamming his chin into the granite that totally transformed his face.

The High School Musical star also claimed to not know that he was a huge talking point on social media and had in fact gone viral for his different-looking jaw, until his mother called to ask if he had gone under the knife.

Earlier this year  Zac also revealed the truth behind the plastic surgery rumors which circulated last year.

Candid:  It’s just not attainable’: Zac recently revealed he fell into a deep depression while training for his 2017 film, Baywatch (pictured filming the movie)

The actor confessed it was actually a nasty accident at home that caused the massive transformation in his face.  

In a new interview with Men’s Health Magazine, the actor recalled how he slipped on a pair of socks while running at his home causing him to smash his chin into a granite fountain.

The star explained that he lost consciousness only to wake up with ‘his chin bone hanging off his face.’

Efron said that when he was injured, the masseter muscles on the inside of his face and jaw then ‘compensated’ for his injury causing them to grow in size – hence his remarkable transformation.

He says this explains why he looked so different at the time. ‘The masseters just grew. They just got really, really big.’

Efron was the center of plastic surgery rumors last year, but the hunky actor reveals all in the October 2022 issue of Men’s Health magazine, in which he appears on the front cover. 

He told the monthly that it was as a result of shattering his jaw and slamming his chin into the granite that totally transformed his face.

Causing a stir: Fans noticed Efron’s jaw looked quite different in a 2021 Earth Day video (pictured left) than from his High School Musical days (pictured right in 2006) and are now wondering if he went under the knife