Queen of the Ring
Directed by Ash Avildsen
In a time when pro wrestling for women was illegal all over the United States, a small town single mother embraces the danger as she dominates a peculiar American niche entertainment industry & becomes the first millionaire female athlete.
Where to Watch Queen of the Ring
Queen of the Ring Ratings & Reviews
- jackmeat15 de septiembre de 2025My quick rating - 6.8/10. In a time when women’s pro wrestling was outlawed across much of the U.S., Queen of the Ring follows Millie Burke, a small-town single mother who risks it all to break barriers in America’s most masculine sport. Emily Bett Rickards plays Millie with a ferocity that’s a far cry from her Arrowverse days, and her performance anchors this lively biopic about ambition, struggle, and the cost of fighting your way to the top. For wrestling fans, the casting alone feels like a dream card. Francesca Eastwood embodies Mae Young with the power you’d expect, James E. Cornette shows up as the NWA commissioner, and Toni Rossall—better known as Toni Storm from WWE, Stardom, and AEW—plays Clara with a natural swagger. Even Kailey Farmer, who recently appeared in AEW, slides neatly into the role of Millie’s nemesis June. It’s one of those films where you can tell the producers knew their audience. The relationship between Millie and her manager-turned-husband Billy Wolf (Josh Lucas) provides plenty of drama, echoing the business itself: cooperative when it suits, toxic when it doesn’t. Through them, we see the sport’s growth from Midwest barnstorming to East Coast flash, from friendly “works” to unpredictable “shoots.” A sly jab lands when Vince McMahon Sr. quips that “promoters writing themselves into storylines is a terrible idea.” Knowing what Vince Jr. would later do, that’s a smirk-inducing Easter egg. The behind-the-scenes politicking feels spot-on, though you still get the sense the movie only scratches the surface of how hard it really was for these women to “get over” in a male-dominated business. Back then, women were lucky to have one championship to fight over. Compare that to today’s AEW, where you practically need a spreadsheet to track the belts—Women’s World, TBS, ROH, tag straps, and whatever Tony Khan dreams up next. Millie fought for survival; today it sometimes feels like Oprah’s handing out titles: “You get a belt, you get a belt, everybody gets a belt!” Adam Demos struts through as Gorgeous George with perfect flamboyance, while Farmer’s June gives Millie the heel she needs. All roads lead to the inevitable 1954 showdown teased in the opening, and while the match delivers spectacle, the real drama is Millie’s arc—winning three world titles, making and losing a fortune, and fighting personal battles that mirror her professional ones. If there’s a flaw, it’s that the pacing and editing wobble just enough to distract. Some of the roughness feels intentional, like the movie is mimicking the chaos of the business, but it can also come across as sloppy. Thankfully, the energy and sense of fun carry it through, something a lot of modern wrestling storytelling could learn from. At its best, Queen of the Ring is a rousing, mostly faithful chronicle of women smashing barriers before “women’s revolution” was a marketing slogan. Rickards proves herself a breakout star, Francesca Eastwood adds a pedigree Clint would approve, and wrestling history gets a spotlight it rarely receives. It may not capture every bruise and betrayal, but it lands hard enough to leave a mark.
- Jason Layton10 de mayo de 2025It was mildly entertaining for about 30 minutes. I was high though I think.
- Rob Logan | The Geek Generation17 de junio de 2025As a former pro wrestler, I'm a lock for enjoying a movie that celebrates a wrestling icon and glorifies the art form. It's clear how dedicated Emily Bett Rickards is to this role as she embodies Mildred Burke both in and out of the ring. Despite Rickards serving as a strong backbone for the movie, it suffers from pacing issues and lacks proper character development for far too many of the peripheral characters, resulting in a sense of apathy when they randomly surface to impact the plot in major ways.
- Brandi3 de septiembre de 2025Meh. I really liked the story but can't help think this would have been better in a documentary format. I'm sure there's more we could have learned without the terrible acting.
- Mr. D1 de junio de 2025It was a good movie although it was drawn out. It could have been better.
- Hipster ZOMBIE17 de mayo de 2025Queen of the Ring is a heartfelt tribute that is weighed down by a sloppy script and poor editing despite having an amazing cast. The film sets out to tell the trailblazing story of female wrestling pioneer Mildred Burke and in some ways, it succeeds. Anchored by a deeply committed cast and a hard-hitting reverence for pro wrestling history, the film captures the grit, pain, and triumph that defined Burke’s journey in a male-dominated world. Unfortunately, these strengths often wrestle against a weak script and clunky editing choices that keep the movie from reaching main-event status. At times the way the film is shot is reminiscent of the movie of the week Lifetime movies. the cast is nothing short of phenomenal. The lead actress,Emily Bett Rickards (From CW’s Arrow) brings strength and vulnerability to Burke, portraying her with a raw physicality in the ring and an emotional depth outside it. Supporting performances are equally compelling, especially from the actors portraying wrestling legends and promoters—there’s a sense that everyone involved truly cares about this story and what it represents. The wrestling sequences are surprisingly authentic, choreographed with a mix of brutal realism and vintage flair that honors the sport’s golden era without feeling outdated. Notable active wrestlers from AEW, Toni Storm, Britt Baker, Kailey Farmer, Mickie James and Trinity Fatu from WWE, and even controversial and very outspoken legendary Jim Cornette lend their talents to add authenticity to the film. But it’s Francesca Eastwood’s performance as Mae Young that almost steals the movie. And then there’s the soundtrack—what a knockout. A plethora of cover songs, from gritty blues renditions to soulful reinterpretations of classic rock, gives the film a sonic identity. Corey Taylor’s “Dust in the Wind” cover is beautifully haunting. Highly recommended streaming. But for all its passion in certain areas, Queen of the Ring too often feels undermined by some weak links. The script is riddled with clunky dialogue, predictable character arcs, long exposition that drags the story of Burke’s life. What could have been a complex portrait becomes, at times, a Lifetime Channel movie. Even more frustrating is the editing, which frequently breaks immersion with jarring cuts, mismatched transitions, and odd pacing. In another more seasoned director’s hands this film had the potential to be something truly special. There’s a great film somewhere inside Queen of the Ring one that honors a true icon of women’s wrestling with the respect she’s long deserved. But sloppy execution behind the camera keeps this tribute from claiming the championship its fighting for.
- Tony Brown15 de mayo de 2025Love it boss got to watch
- abarre33914 de mayo de 2025Good movie though could be better. As it does consist of historical inaccuracies.
Queen of the Ring Trivia
Queen of the Ring was released on 25 de octubre de 2024.
Queen of the Ring was directed by Ash Avildsen.
Queen of the Ring has a runtime of 2h 10min.
Queen of the Ring was produced by Isen Robbins, Aimee Schoof, Ash Avildsen, B.D. Gunnell.
In a time when pro wrestling for women was illegal all over the United States, a small town single mother embraces the danger as she dominates a peculiar American niche entertainment industry & becomes the first millionaire female athlete.
The key characters in Queen of the Ring are Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards), Billy Wolfe (Josh Lucas), Jack Pfefer (Walton Goggins).
Queen of the Ring is rated PG-13.
Queen of the Ring is a Biography, Drama, Action film.
Queen of the Ring has an audience rating of 8.8 out of 10.
Queen of the Ring has made 658 mil US$ at the box office.