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Queen of the Ring is an upcoming American biographical sports drama based on the life of wrestling legend, Mildred Burke. The movie is written and directed by Ash Avildsen, based on Burke's manuscripts and Jeff Leen’s eponymous 2010 book The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend. It is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on Friday, March 7, 2025.
Emily Bett Rickards stars in the project as Burke, a small-town single mother who heralds change in arguably the most masculine sports in the United States at great personal peril to become the first millionaire female athlete. Rickards is supported by a stellar supporting cast, which includes Josh Lucas, Kelli Berglund, and Walton Goggins.
Running for 130 minutes, Queen of the Ring originally premiered at the Buffalo International Film Festival on October 15, 2024. The PG-13 is produced by Intrinsic Value Films and Sumerian Pictures, with the latter owning distribution rights across the country.
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How is the Queen of the Ring trailer set?
The trailer for Queen of the Ring was released on January 16, 2025, and opens with Burke (Emily Bett Rickards) comforting her young son after a nightmare. Highlighting the importance of making good dreams come true, it dives into Burke giving her all to make a name in the world of wrestling. She enlists the help of Billy Wolfe (Josh Lucas) as her trainer, whom she goes on to marry and then later divorce.
Burke’s indomitable spirit shines through the two-and-a-half-minute trailer, which features numerous fights and training sequences. The shifting of the dynamic between Burke and Wolfe is explored as she wrestles her way to the top of the industry. The video ends with Burke proudly telling a woman in a seemingly highbrow event in Washington, DC, that she is the highest paid female athlete in history.
Exploring the cast of Queen of the Ring
The biographical drama boasts a talented cast, bringing the story of legendary wrestler Mildred Burke to life. Leading the ensemble is Emily Bett Rickards, best known for playing Felicity in the CW series Arrow. Rickards embodies Burke’s resilience, strength, and drive as she shatters barriers in the then-male-dominated world of professional wrestling.
Josh Lucas (The Black Demon) stars as Billy Wolfe, the influential yet controversial wrestling manager who played a vital role in Burke’s career. Wolfe, known for his complex relationship with Burke, both professionally and personally, is portrayed with depth and nuance by Lucas, bringing an extra layer of drama to the film.
The other supporting characters in the film are listed as follows:
- Tyler Posey as G Bill (The Real Bros of Simi Valley: The Movie)
- Walton Goggins as Jack Pfefer (The Luckiest Man in America)
- Francesca Eastwood as Mae Young (Running on Empty)
- Marie Avgeropoulos as Elvira Snodgrass (Wonder Woman: Bloodlines)
- Kailey Farmer as June Byers (AEW Rampage)
- Cara Buono as Bertha (Law & Order)
Queen of the Ring plot outline
In the film Queen of the Ring, Bett Rickards plays the role of Mildred Burke, a trailblazer in the world of female wrestling. Born in 1915, Burke became a professional wrestler at a time when women were banned from competing across most of the United States.
Throughout her career, spanning from the 1930s to the 1950s, Burke won three women's world championships. She made history as the first female athlete to earn a million dollars.
The official synopsis for Queen of the Ring reads, "An exceptional, real-life tale that follows Mildred Burke, the legendary professional wrestler and single mother who defied marvelous odds to become the first million-dollar female athlete and longest reigning champion at a time when the sport was banned across most of the US."
The film is expected to offer few lessons and make people curious about the start of women’s wrestling. Mildred Burke is astonishing, the film widely embodies existing ideas of feminine beauty, especially compared to who Burke was in real life.
Queen of the Ring theoretically available from March 7, 2025 in the United States.
