Scary movies and professional wrestling have a long, intertwined history. These films, often low-budget thrillers, showcase wrestlers as monstrous villains and unlikely heroes, leveraging their larger-than-life personas to captivate and horrify. Among the following ten films—whether horror masterpieces or infamous flops—one stands out as "the worst film ever made!"
1. Tor Johnson: Plan 9 From Outer Space (1957)
Tor Johnson as Inspector Clay in Plan 9 From Outer Space. Photo Credit: Wade William.
Upon its release in 1959, Plan 9 From Outer Space immediately faded into obscurity until movie critic Michael Medved dubbed it “the worst movie ever made” in 1980.
That condemnation transformed the film into a cult classic. To be fair, there are far worse films than director Ed Wood’s legendary B-movie. P9FOS is actually quite entertaining for its faults, and many of the unintentional laughs come from the casting of pro wrestler Tor Johnson.
The plot tells the tale of aliens who resurrect corpses, one of which is Johnson’s Inspector Daniel Clay. Johnson’s performance as the lumbering, zombified detective became one of the film’s most memorable elements, despite his lack of dialogue.
Standing at 6’3″ and weighing 440 lbs, the “Super Swedish Angel” was certainly an imposing sight. Born in Sweden in 1903, Johnson began his wrestling career in the 1930s, competing in various promotions across the United States. He was known for his incredible strength and intimidating presence in the ring, often playing the role of a heel (villain) to great effect.
Upon moving to Los Angeles in the 1930s, Johnson supplemented his pro wrestling career with bit parts in movies, usually playing a strongman, weightlifter, or some other role designed for his huge physique. His film debut came in 1934’s Kid Millions, where he played an uncredited role as a torturer.
At some point in the 1950s, Johnson befriended Ed Wood and went on to star in several of his movies. Their collaboration began with 1955’s Bride of the Monster, where Johnson played Lobo, a mute servant to Bela Lugosi’s mad scientist. This role established Johnson as a fixture in low-budget horror films.
Whether it was knocking over Styrofoam gravestones or the scars that kept changing position on his face due to skin irritation, Johnson became an icon of campy, cult B-movies. His appearances in Wood’s films, including Night of the Ghouls (1959) and The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961), cemented his status as a beloved figure in the world of schlock cinema.
Johnson’s wrestling career continued alongside his film work, with his last recorded match taking place in 1959. His imposing physique and memorable screen presence made him a natural fit for horror films, even if his acting abilities were limited.
Additionally, Johnson was portrayed by fellow wrestling legend George “The Animal” Steele in Tim Burton’s brilliant 1994 biopic Ed Wood. If you haven’t seen Plan 9 From Outer Space or Ed Wood, it’s a perfect double bill: one of cinema’s most brilliantly bad productions followed by the palette cleanser of the story behind it. This portrayal introduced Johnson to a new generation of film fans, further solidifying his place in pop culture history.
2. Rowdy Roddy Piper: They Live (1988)
Roddy Piper reveals hidden truths as John Nada in They Live. Photo Credit: Studio Canal.
They Live is another alien cult classic, although this time, it’s for the right reasons. John Carpenter’s seminal sci-fi satirical shocker tells the story of John Nada, a drifter who one day sees the world for what it truly is thanks to a pair of special sunglasses. In an inspired piece of casting, Nada is portrayed by Roddy Piper in what would become his most iconic movie role.
In an interview uploaded by the Exiles TV YouTube channel, director John Carpenter discussed why he chose Piper for the part.
“They Live, it needed a working guy, a non-middle class, blue-collar working guy, who’s working poor. Who were real, and still are real in this country. I thought he had this quality about him. Not the personality you see in the wrestling ring or in interviews, not that over-the-top guy but a different fella. A little rough, you know, and it was terrific. He really did a great job for me.”
So what makes the character so beloved? Piper shared his theory at a special screening of the film at the New Beverly Cinema in 2012, as reported by The Ultimate Rabbit.
“Nada is you, he is every one of you, not blue collar or white collar. He’s you and that’s why you know nothing about him because it depends on if it’s you, then that’s what’s about him. He’s supposed to represent everybody, not just America, but everybody in the world. And that’s kind of why you, as an audience, fill in the nothing with whatever ethics and morals you’re fighting for at the time.”
As well as being an important piece of commentary on a world being consumed by consumerism, They Live is not afraid to have fun, be it quotable lines such as “I have come to kick *** and chew bubblegum, and I’m all out of bubblegum” or its action scenes such as the epic fist fight between Piper and Keith David, which you can read more about here.
3. Jesse Ventura: Predator (1987)
Jesse Ventura as Blain, the ultimate warrior in Predator. Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios.
Many of our readers likely remember Jesse Ventura from his wrestling days or as a color commentator. However, for many, their first memories of the former governor of Minnesota come from his role as Blain in this classic film featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Predator follows Dutch and his team of elite commandos as they scour the jungles of Central America on a mission. Before long, they find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.
Thanks to memorable lines such as “I ain’t got time to bleed,” Blain became one of the most quotable characters in an extremely quotable film. It was also enough to set up more acting roles for “The Body.”
But how did he get the gig in the first place? Ventura explained his Hollywood start to Chris Van Vliet on his Insight podcast in September 2024
“I knew that if I got to California, [my agent] Barry Bloom would be bringing me in to meet people,” Ventura said. “Because when Hulkamania hit big, Barry Bloom kept sitting back, going, ‘Wait a minute. There’s this other guy, Jesse Ventura, who has got way more talent than Hulk Hogan. This guy’s got talent beyond wrestling.’
“What happened there was, they kept booking me [for wrestling shows] out in California, and the one day I flew out there, Barry picked me up at the airport, and he said, ‘At 2:00, we’re going to go meet a friend of mine named Jackie Birch. She’s casting the next (Arnold) Schwarzenegger film.’ And he said, ‘There’s a part in there you’re perfect for. Sergeant Blain Cooper, 6’4″, 250-pound killer.'”
Despite being a former Marine, Jesse didn’t particularly look like a military man at the time, but that didn’t faze the casting director.
“I had on a durag, six earrings, my big long goatee, multi-colored hair,” Ventura recalled. “I looked as far from the military as you could possibly look.
“I looked like a one-percenter, a biker, probably. I’ll never forget Jackie Burch – little short girl – she walked up to me and she looked at me like this, and she looked up and down, twice. And said, ‘Let’s go meet the executive producers.'”
“Within an hour, they offered me the part, and it was a sought-after part. Everybody in California was going after that role. I had it.”
4. Diamond Dallas Page: The Devil’s Rejects (2005)
Diamond Dallas Page brings grit as Billy Ray in The Devil’s Rejects. Photo Credit: Lions Gate Films.
In 2003, shock-rocker Rob Zombie made his directorial debut with House of 1000 Corpses, and two years later, he followed up with what may be considered his most popular movie, The Devil’s Rejects.
Diamond Dallas Page plays a small but memorable role in the film as Billy Ray Snapper.
Speaking to Michigan Live, DDP explained what attracted him to Rob Zombie’s gruesome sequel.
“He’s a great writer of dialogue. When I first read the script for ‘Devil’s Rejects,’ I was like, ‘Oh my god. How does that guy write like that after it being his second movie. It was a great experience for me. The cast was really great. I became good friends with Bill Moseley, who played Otis, and Sid Haig.”
Despite becoming fast friends with Moseley, DDP didn’t stop putting his all into a fight scene with his horror legend co-star. As he revealed to Yahoo Entertainment that the scene pretty much ended up on the cutting room floor.
“Oh God, I love Bill Moseley. When I was filming the scene, which became a montage in the bedroom, I loved what I did with that, and Rob (Zombie) didn’t use it.
“I said to him, I go, ‘Rob, why didn’t you use that spot? Did it not come off right?’ He goes, ‘No, it was amazing, but you were too funny. Like you were funny. And we’ve got a lot of guys doing a lot of funny things.’
“I wanted someone who’s a straight [powerhouse], and that’s what I decided to use. So then I understood it. With Sid (Haig), who looked like a huge killer but was very fragile at that time.
“Between him and Bill, I think I was spending too much time taking care of Sid ’cause I loved him so much. And Bill, he might have ended up on the stiff side of a kick or two.
“But what a great character, Bill Moseley’s character in Devil’s Rejects, like totally unforgettable. To me, Devil’s Rejects is the Reservoir Dogs of horror.”
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5. Bill Goldberg: Santa’s Slay (2005)
Bill Goldberg as a not-so-merry Santa in Santa’s Slay. Photo Credit: Media 8 Entertainment.
Ah, Christmas. A time for presents, food, merriment, and a demonic Santa Claus smashing down your chimney and making you pay for your trespasses.
According to writer and director David Steimen, Santa is, in fact, the result of a virgin birth created by Satan. That’s right, old Nick created St. Nick, which probably explains his namesake anagram.
Portrayed by Goldberg, Santa used to spend his Christmas going on a jolly old killing spree until losing a bet to an angel in 1005 AD, when he was forced to spend the next thousand years delivering presents to all the good girls and boys.
But now time is up, and Santa can slay again!
The film is just a simple premise for insane Yuletide murders, such as Christmas tree-throwing stars and eggnog drownings. The movie knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything else, and as a result, it is quite good fun.
Despite the horror, some real-life Christmas magic may have seeped through as Bill met his future wife on set. He remembers that magical day with Uproxx.
“A Jewish director, a Jewish lead playing Santa Claus, killing people. There’s something funny about that. It was awesome, man; I had a great time [filming the movie].
“The best thing in the entire movie was not only did I kind of get to have a sleigh driven by a buffalo, but most importantly I met my wife on set. Three and a half months after we met I asked her to marry me, and its been the most wonderful time of my life ever since.
“She was doing stunts. It was a strip club scene. I go into the strip joint, there’s like 50 girls [in the buff] there, and who do I come out with as my wife? The only girl who had clothes on.
“I’m Santa Claus, I come into the place, I kill a couple of people on my way in, then the bartender and a couple of patrons don’t like it very much, so they chase me throughout the bar. I hop up to the table, then I hop up to a swing, well she’s sitting on the swing, so I’m in an extremely precarious situation if you would look at the logistics of me hanging from the swing, she’s sitting on the swing, then I was very uncomfortable. And being ‘Goldberg’, I mean you’re supposed to be the guy, right?”
“So I’m sweating more than I am now, I couldn’t even look up at her and she taps me on the shoulder and she goes, ‘Are you alright, buddy?’ I said ‘yeah, I’m fine’ but I couldn’t look up, obviously, and she says, ‘Usually, before a guy and I get this close, he buys me a beer first!’ I looked up at her and said, ‘I love you.'”
6. Kane: See No Evil (2006)
Kane as Jacob Goodnight, WWE’s killer character in See No Evil. Photo Credit: WWE Studios.
WWE Films, later rebranded as WWE Studios, was World Wrestling Entertainment’s foray into the movie-making business.
Although it co-produced the first three movies starring The Rock (The Scorpion King, The Rundown, and Walking Tall), the studio didn’t announce its first three major projects featuring three of its biggest superstars until 2005.
Those three movies were The Marine, starring John Cena, The Condemned with Stone Cold Steve Austin, and, of course, See No Evil with Kane.
For Glenn Jacobs, who was credited as his wrestling name ‘Kane‘ in the film, playing the soulless serial killer Jacob Goodnight may not have been too far of a stretch from his WWE character. Considering Kane was initially based on masked movie monsters such as Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees, it made sense for him to star in his own horror feature.
However, despite the similarities, there are major differences between working in the ring and on a film set, as he revealed to IGN back in 2006:
“Yeah, the biggest challenge is the hurry up and wait, and also the repetition. At times, it can become monotonous, because you’re doing the same scene over and over, and as far as acting, trying to—I think that’s one of the challenges of acting, especially when you’re doing movies as opposed to live stuff–is keeping the energy up throughout the various takes of the same scene.
“When you are in an artificial environment like a sound stage, it’s so much different from what we’re doing on WWE, where we’re feeding off the adrenaline of the audience, so it’s much more interactive than just being on a sound stage.
“I think any of the guys that have done movies, WWE guys who have done movies, are gonna tell you the same thing. Physically, WWE is, of course, much harder because it is physically based.
“Of course, it’s hard in a different way mentally, but the actual performance part of WWE I find easier and more fun because we’re out there with our live audience and interacting with them.”
See No Evil was followed up with a sequel in 2014, where Kane even got to wear a mask!
7. Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Sid Eudy, and Ray Lloyd: River of Darkness (2011)
Kurt Angle leads a cast of wrestlers in the haunting River of Darkness. Photo Credit: G2 Pictures.
River of Darkness is not a good film. It’s bad. So bad. We’re talking 2.2/10 on IMDb, 9% on Rotten Tomatoes bad.
So how did such an awful film make this list? Well, it’s the sheer number of wrestlers in the movie. Kevin Nash, Sid Eudy (AKA Sid Vicious/Justice), and Ray Lloyd (AKA Glacier) all make appearances in a cast headlined by the Olympic gold medal winner himself, Kurt Angle.
Angle plays Sheriff Logan, who must uncover a small river town’s seedy past and confront the evil that has risen to exact revenge through a series of increasingly brutal and horrific murders.
If you want a taste of just how bad this movie is, check out the trailer below. It features zombie Nash and Eudy, cartoon blood, and phone-camera-quality cinematography.
So is it worth a watch? Of course, it is! It’s so bad it must be seen to be believed!
8. CM Punk: The Girl on the Third Floor (2019)
CM Punk fights inner and outer demons as Don Koch in The Girl on the Third Floor. Photo Credit: Dark Sky Films.
During his time away from the ring following his departure from WWE in 2014, CM Punk tried his hand at various projects and ventures, including this 2019 horror movie.
Punk stars as Don Koch, a man who purchases a house for himself, his pregnant wife, and their dog, intending to renovate their new home. However, as the couple prepares for their new lives, the house’s cursed past and a slew of spooky shenanigans slowly begin to reveal themselves.
Directed by Travis Stevens, The Girl on the Third Floor is a good old-fashioned evil house movie filled with gruesome, practical effects.
As for the house itself, its haunted past extends beyond the plot of the movie, as CM Punk told Inverse:
“You were never alone. You walk in, and you’re pretty sure you’re alone. But it always feels like there’s a pair of eyes on you.”
“That house really is haunted,” Punk continued. “100 percent.”
“The studio’s parent company purchased the house just to flip as a financial thing. But you can’t walk in that neighborhood, Frankfort, Illinois, without someone talking about the haunted house.
“The lore is two girls were killed in there a hundred years ago. It was a brothel. All the elements in the movie are real. Travis built his story off of that.”
The movie didn’t do too well with critics, but as Punk can attest, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a watch:
“Even a bad horror movie is good. You still have a good time watching it. There are a lot of lousy horror movies I will regularly watch. But the best ones, I think, are entertaining in a way they stay with you.
“I think people are attracted to [dark] subject matter. I was when I was a little kid because they scared me. These things are supposed to be terrifying, death, murder, aliens, and the unknown.
“Watching a horror movie is, to me, like therapy. It’s therapeutic. You get to conquer your fears and get over something.
“I think horror movies can help people. They’re the only genre that tackles social issues head-on. Look at Night of the Living Dead. That movie came out in the ’60s, and you can still watch it today. That resonates.”
9. Dave Bautista: Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Dave Bautista delivers a chilling performance in Knock at the Cabin. Photo Credit: Universal Pictures.
Dave Bautista embarked on his acting adventures in 2006, and during that time, he appeared in horror films such as Army of the Dead. However, seeing as how we have already covered zombies on the site, we have instead opted to go with this 2023 feature from M. Night Shyamalan.
Shyamalan is probably Hollywood’s king of concepts, even if he doesn’t necessarily stick the landing all the time. Knock at the Cabin is no exception.
A family is vacationing in a cabin when, believe it or not, they receive a knock. Four strangers tell the family that they have received visions and that if they do not sacrifice one of their own, it could lead to the end of the world.
Shyamalan is not a fan of pro wrestling, so when casting the movie, he was struggling to think of someone with a big physical presence who could pull off a dramatic role. He told Movieweb how he came across Big Dave:
“I was really taken by what Denis [Villeneuve] and Dave did in that scene in Blade Runner. He was still, in a way, powerful. There’s a type of stillness where you’re not doing anything; you’re doing everything, and you’re still. Your essence of what you’re thinking is coming off your body. I always tell actors that I can definitely shoot the back of you. If you watch the back of Heath Ledger at the beginning of The Dark Knight, the second I see his back, I think, ‘I’m seeing one of the greatest performances ever.’
“I could see it just from the way he was standing. Every cell in your body will do what it’s supposed to do if you’re thinking something correctly. So don’t just be blank. You have to think it. So don’t show me anything because your body is going to show me.
“Dave was embodying all of this philosophy in that scene, and I thought he was a really unusual person because he is who he is and he’s that big. I didn’t know who he was at that time, and he stuck in my head. So when this script came, I was like, ‘There seems to be one guy who can play this giant human being and do the stillness.’ So I asked Dave.”
Bautista has taken Hollywood by storm after following in the footsteps of many professional wrestlers who have made the jump from WWE to big-budget movies. He became a household name as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy but has since played countless other characters across a variety of genres.
To perfect Leonard’s character, Knock at the Cabin juxtaposes Dave Bautista’s sincerity and gentleness with his physically imposing nature to create both uneasiness and trust in him as a leader. Bautista’s physical strength is scarcely utilized, and the film ensures that it is only used as a mode of defense and protection.
The greatest twist in Knock at the Cabin is how impressively Bautista’s acting skills shine throughout the story, making him the stand-out feature of Shyamalan’s thriller. The movie doesn’t work unless Bautista is playing the role, as he exudes a contradictory sense of unintentionally intimidating fear and comfort that makes his character incredibly captivating.
10: Chris Jericho: Terrifier 2 & 3 (2022, 2024)
Chris Jericho makes a bloody cameo in Terrifier 3 as Burke. Photo Credit: Cineverse.
A relative newcomer on the horror icon scene, the fictional character Art The Clown has certainly solidified himself as the stuff of nightmares thanks to the horrifically gruesome and aptly named Terrifier series.
Definitely not for the faint of heart, the Terrifier series prides itself on its old-school blood and guts splatter house visuals.
Wrestling fans will certainly recognize a familiar face among the crimson carnage: the lionheart himself, Chris Jericho.
Jericho makes his first appearance in the end credit sequence for Terrifier 2 and continues his role in Terrifier 3.
“You’re jaw will drop to the floor – much like my character Burke’s did. If you know, you know. This movie is crazy in the best possible way. I’m so proud to be a part of this franchise,” Chris proudly boasts to Dread Central.
“I’m one of the only characters, one of the few, that appears in not just one, but two Terrifier movies. For how long? Wait and see. But the point is, Burke, Terrifier 2, Terrifier 3, go see it!”
Jericho may not be in the movies longer than what one could call a cameo, but his brief appearances will certainly leave a lasting impression.
“To be back in 3 is a huge honor – and now, now some [stuff] happens. It’s not going to be good for any fans of Chris Jerichom which is what you want! You don’t want to survive a Terrifier movie. But, yeah, I’m really excited about it.”
Chris also stars in the horror film Dark Match, which has yet to receive a widespread release as of this writing.
Horror Movie Icons of Wrestling: A Legacy of Fear
Wrestlers Dave Bautista, CM Punk, and Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) brought their larger-than-life personas to the world of horror films and scary movies, proving the ring isn’t the only place they shine. Photo Credit: Universal Pictures, Dark Sky Films, Lion Gate Films.
From cult classics to recent releases, these professional wrestlers have shown their talents extend far beyond the wrestling ring. Whether terrifying or campy, these horror films and scary movies highlight the unique charisma and physical presence wrestlers bring to the screen.
So, if you’re in the mood for psychological thrills, intense gore, cult classics, or films that are so bad they’re good, there’s bound to be a movie on this list to satisfy your craving for pro wrestling horror!
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Tim Buckler, a senior writer here at Pro Wrestling Stories, has been an author for over a decade, penning articles for sites such as WhatCulture, Screen Rant, Inside The Ropes, and many more, but his heart will always belong to Pro Wrestling Stories. He also presents a pop culture radio show entitled "The Little Telly Upstairs," which airs every Thursday 8-10 pm on Radio Woking, featuring news, views, and music from film, television, comic books, video games and, of course, Pro Wrestling. Follow him @blockbusterman on Twitter for more of his ramblings!