A new wrestling movie featuring stars from Fallout and Arrow has debuted with a strong Rotten Tomatoes score. Arrow, which ran from 2012 through 2020, is a DC Comics adapation about a vigilante archer that launched an entire franchise of interconnected superhero series that included Supergirl, The Flash, and Batwoman. Prime Video’s Fallout, which is adapted from the post-apocalyptic video game of the same name, is even newer, having debuted in 2024. It already has a second season on the way.
While there is not necessarily a single installment that stands out as the culturally definitive example of the genre, there have been quite a few wrestling movies produced over the years. These titles embody a wide range of genres, including the biopic The Iron Claw, the comedy Fighting with My Family, the Darren Aronofsky drama The Wrestler, and the animated family movie Rumble. As such, the subgenre is especially welcoming to new installments, including the new release featuring familiar faces from television.
Critics Are Enjoying Queen Of The Ring
The Movie Brings A True Story To Life
2025’s Queen of the Ring has earned good reviews from critics. The new movie stars Emily Bett Rickards (who played IT expert Felicity Smoak in Arrow) as Mildred Burke, a real-life wrestler who fought against restrictive rules to become an iconic athlete. The project, which was directed by Ash Avildsen, also stars Walton Goggins (who plays the villain The Ghoul in Fallout) as wrestling promoter Jack Pfefer alongside a star-studded ensemble that includes Josh Lucas, Tyler Posey, Francesca Eastwood, Deborah Ann Woll, Cara Buono, and Karate Kid alumnus Martin Kove.
Ash Avildsen is the son of The Karate Kid and Rocky V director John G. Avildsen.
Now, Rotten Tomatoes has calculated an official Tomatometer score for the movie out of 35 different critics reviews. Although the score could fluctuate as more reviews are added, at the time of writing, Queen of the Ring has earned a solidly Fresh 71% score with an average rating of 6.4 out of 10. This consensus is reflected in the 7 out of 10 review penned by ScreenRant‘s own Nick Bythrow, who says that the movie is “the perfect primer for anyone who wants to learn about the history of women in pro wrestling.” Read a longer excerpt below:
With a gripping story that succeeds at highlighting Mildred’s life alongside the early history of women’s pro wrestling, Queen of the Ring is an important film that extends plenty of respect to its real-world history. Stellar performances capture its characters while strong writing is complimented by a clear directorial vision across the whole film. Its entertaining approach to the history it portrays works to make the movie memorable, resulting in a must-see biopic that’s perfect for those who want to learn about women’s wrestling history.
What This Means For Queen Of The Ring
It Could Make Its Mark On Cinema History
If the wrestling movie can maintain this score as more Queen of the Ring reviews are added, it is entirely possible that the movie could end up in Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the 150 highest-rated sports movies of all time. That roster includes a number of movies with lower scores, including The Blind Side (66%), Rocky II (70%), and The Sandlot (65%), showcasing how this movie’s strong critical reaction could help usher it into cinema history.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Queen of the Ring
7/10
- Release Date
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March 7, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Director
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Ash Avildsen
- Writers
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Ash Avildsen
- Producers
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Aimee Schoof, Anthony Mastromauro, Isen Robbins, Jim Ross, Baron Bodnar