Queen of the Ring (film)
Step into the squared circle for a fascinating look at 'Queen of the Ring,' a biographical sports drama bringing the incredible life of Mildred Burke to the big screen. This 2024 film tells the story of a trailblazing woman who defied societal norms and shattered barriers in professional wrestling during an era when women were largely excluded from the sport. It's a compelling narrative of grit, determination, and the fight for a legacy that resonates even today. Mildred Burke was a revolutionary figure in professional wrestling, breaking gender barriers to become a global superstar and the sport's first million-dollar female athlete. The film draws inspiration from extensive research, including a biography and Burke's personal manuscripts, ensuring a deeply authentic portrayal of her life. Critical reception highlights the film's strong performances, particularly Emily Bett Rickards as Burke, and its effective depiction of women's wrestling history despite a modest budget.
AI Summary
Step into the squared circle for a fascinating look at 'Queen of the Ring,' a biographical sports drama bringing the incredible life of Mildred Burke to the big screen. This 2024 film tells the story of a trailblazing woman who defied societal norms and shattered barriers in professional wrestling during an era when women were largely excluded from the sport. It's a compelling narrative of grit, determination, and the fight for a legacy that resonates even today.
- Mildred Burke was a revolutionary figure in professional wrestling, breaking gender barriers to become a global superstar and the sport's first million-dollar female athlete.
- The film draws inspiration from extensive research, including a biography and Burke's personal manuscripts, ensuring a deeply authentic portrayal of her life.
- Critical reception highlights the film's strong performances, particularly Emily Bett Rickards as Burke, and its effective depiction of women's wrestling history despite a modest budget.
A Champion's Story
Directed and written by Ash Avildsen, 'Queen of the Ring' plunges into the remarkable life of Mildred Burke. This American biographical sports drama, released in 2024, aims to capture the essence of a woman who wasn't just a wrestler, but a true pioneer.
Shattering the Ropes
Imagine an era where women were largely barred from the wrestling ring, considered an inappropriate spectacle. Mildred Burke ignored every single one of those rules. She was a single mother with a fire in her belly and an unstoppable resolve.
A Million-Dollar Legacy
Burke fought her way from obscure, underground matches all the way to the pinnacle of professional wrestling, defying critics and a system determined to shut her out. She became the sport's very first million-dollar female athlete and holds the record as the longest-reigning champion in history. Her story proves that some of the fiercest battles are fought not just in the ring, but against the world itself.
Bringing the Legend to Life
The journey to bring Mildred Burke's story to film was a passionate endeavor. Director Ash Avildsen meticulously crafted the screenplay, drawing from rich historical sources to ensure accuracy and depth.
Behind the Scenes Inspiration
The film's narrative is deeply rooted in 'The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend,' a 2010 book by Jeff Leen. What's even more compelling is that Burke's own personal manuscripts also contributed to the script, offering an intimate glimpse into her world. Legendary wrestling commentator Jim Ross signed on as an executive producer, lending his unparalleled expertise to the project.
Filming Against the Odds
Principal photography for 'Queen of the Ring' took place in Louisville, Kentucky, capturing the gritty atmosphere of Burke's era. Notably, the production secured special dispensation to continue filming even during the significant 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, a testament to the project's unique circumstances.
The Cast Takes the Ring
Bringing such iconic figures to life required a talented ensemble. Emily Bett Rickards, known for her role in 'Arrow,' stepped into the formidable shoes of Mildred Burke, capturing her powerful spirit. Josh Lucas, a versatile actor, was cast as Billy Wolfe, Burke's husband and manager, adding another layer to the complex narrative.
A Stellar Supporting Ensemble
The cast was further bolstered by the addition of several acclaimed actors. Walton Goggins, Francesca Eastwood, and Deborah Ann Woll joined the production in June 2023, bringing their considerable talents to supporting roles. Later that month, Gavin Casalegno was cast as Mildred's teenage son, Joe.
Real-Life Wrestlers Step In
In a unique twist, real-life wrestling superstars were also part of the casting process. Initially, Charlotte Flair and Liv Morgan were slated for roles, but scheduling conflicts and injuries led to their replacement by NWA Women's Champion Kamille and AEW Women's Champion Toni Storm, respectively, adding an authentic touch to the wrestling scenes. Trinity Fatu and Kelli Berglund, who has prior experience playing a wrestler on the TV series 'Heels,' also joined the impressive ensemble.
Debut and Distribution
The world finally got its first look at 'Queen of the Ring' at the Buffalo International Film Festival, where it premiered to an eager audience on October 15, 2024. Following its festival run, Sumerian Pictures brought the film to theaters across the United States, with a wider release on March 7, 2025.
The Soundtrack
Beyond the visual story, the film's atmosphere is enriched by its soundtrack. Sumerian Records released an album featuring ten songs from the movie, meticulously crafted by the film's composer, Aaron Gilhuis. The music plays a crucial role in transporting audiences back to Mildred Burke's era and enhancing the emotional beats of her journey.
Critical Acclaim
Upon its release, 'Queen of the Ring' was met with generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its compelling story and strong performances. The film successfully resonated with audiences and reviewers alike, cementing Mildred Burke's legacy on screen.
Rotten Tomatoes Consensus
On the popular review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film achieved a solid 74% positive rating from 53 critics, with an average score of 6.4/10. The consensus highlighted Emily Bett Rickards' 'terrific' performance in this 'straightforward sports biopic,' noting its ability to 'put on a good show' even while offering a surface-level look at some of its true story elements.
Metacritic Score
Metacritic, which provides a weighted average score, assigned 'Queen of the Ring' a respectable 65 out of 100 based on reviews from 9 critics. This score indicates 'generally favorable reviews,' further solidifying the film's positive reception within the critical landscape.
Expert Exploration
Nick Bythrow of Screen Rant offered high praise for the film, stating that 'Queen of the Ring uses the story of Mildred Burke to expertly explore women's pro wrestling in a time when they weren't allowed in the sport.' This highlights the film's success in not just telling a personal story, but also capturing a significant period in sports history.
Visuals and Heart
Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter also lauded the movie, particularly noting its visual appeal. He wrote, 'Despite its low budget, the film looks terrific, effectively conveying its vintage settings thanks to Andrew Strahorn's handsome, sepia-tinged cinematography and Sofija Mesicek's period-perfect costumes.' Scheck further commended Emily Bett Rickards, crediting her performance with giving the film 'its heart and soul'—a truly fitting tribute to the legendary Mildred Burke.
Article
Queen of the Ring (film)
Queen of the Ring is a 2024 American biographical sports drama about female professional wrestler Mildred Burke. The film is written and directed by Ash Avildsen. It stars Emily Bett Rickards as Burke, with Josh Lucas, Tyler Posey, Francesca Eastwood, Deborah Ann Woll, Cara Buono, and Walton Goggins in supporting roles.
Premise
Queen of the Ring (film)
The film chronicles the life of revolutionary female wrestler Mildred Burke.
In an era when women were barred from the ring, Mildred Burke shattered every rule in the book. A single mother with unstoppable grit, she fought her way from underground matches to the pinnacle of professional wrestling, becoming the sport's first million-dollar female athlete. Defying skeptics, opponents, and a system determined to shut her out, Burke carved her legacy as the longest-reigning champion in history—proving that the fiercest battles are not just fought in the ring, but against the world itself.
Production
Queen of the Ring (film)
Wrestler Mildred Burke, whose life the film is based on.
The film is written and directed by Ash Avildsen, inspired by the 2010 book The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend by Jeff Leen, and Burke's own manuscripts. Jim Ross is executive producer on the film. Aimee Schoof and Isen Robbins of Intrinsic Value Films and TV and B.D. Gunnell are the producers on the film.
Principal photography took place in Louisville, Kentucky. In July 2023, the film received dispensation to continue filming during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
Casting
Actress Emily Bett Rickards, who plays Burke in the film (pictured in 2023)
In May 2023, Emily Bett Rickards was cast as the lead in the film as Mildred Burke while Josh Lucas was cast as Billy Wolfe. At this time, Marie Avgeropoulos was cast as Babe Gordon.
In June 2023, Walton Goggins, Francesca Eastwood, and Deborah Ann Woll joined the cast, with Gavin Casalegno cast as Mildred's teen age son Joe later that month. Charlotte Flair and Liv Morgan had to withdraw from their roles as June Byers and Clara Mortensen due to scheduling and injury issues, respectively, and were replaced by NWA Women's Champion Kamille and AEW Women's Champion Toni Storm. In June 2023, Trinity Fatu joined the cast. Kelli Berglund was cast in August 2023, having previously also played a wrestler on the television series Heels.
Release
Queen of the Ring (film)
Queen of the Ring premiered at the Buffalo International Film Festival on October 15, 2024. It was released in theaters in the United States on March 7, 2025, by Sumerian Pictures.
Soundtrack
Queen of the Ring (film)
Sumerian Records released the soundtrack album for the film featuring ten songs from the movie. It includes songs produced by the films composer, Aaron Gilhuis.
Reception
Queen of the Ring (film)
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 74% of 53 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "Emily Bett Rickards is terrific in this straightforward sports biopic, which puts on a good show even if it only glancingly grapples with the surface details of its true story." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 65 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Nick Bythrow of Screen Rant gave the film a positive score, stating, "Queen of the Ring uses the story of Mildred Burke to expertly explore women's pro wrestling in a time when they weren't allowed in the sport."
Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter also provided a positive review, writing, "Despite its low budget, the film looks terrific, effectively conveying its vintage settings thanks to Andrew Strahorn's handsome, sepia-tinged cinematography and Sofija Mesicek's period-perfect costumes." He praised the strong performances of the cast, in particular lead Emily Bett Rickards, whose performance he credited as giving the film its heart and soul".