AEW has reportedly taken legal action against the production company responsible for the wrestling biopic Queen of the Ring, alleging that the company failed to pay the full amount owed under a promotional sponsorship agreement.
According to a report from POST Wrestling, AEW filed a lawsuit against Ring Productions, LLC, claiming the company still owes more than $100,000 related to AEW’s promotion of the film, which was released last year.
The movie, based on the life and career of pioneering women’s wrestling star Mildred Burke, featured appearances from several wrestling personalities, including AEW stars Toni Storm, Britt Baker, and Kamille. Throughout the film’s promotional campaign, AEW provided significant exposure by featuring sponsored matches, airing trailers during events, and spotlighting members of the cast on its programming.
Court filings reportedly state that Ring Productions paid $205,000 toward its obligations by May 2025. However, AEW alleges that a remaining balance of $100,000 was never paid. The company is also seeking an additional $5,000 in travel expenses tied to talent appearances connected to the promotional agreement.
In addition to the outstanding payments, AEW is reportedly pursuing contractual interest charges of 1.5 percent per month on the overdue balance.
The lawsuit claims that AEW attempted to resolve the issue outside of court, sending multiple communications between September and December 2025 regarding the unpaid amounts. After those efforts failed to produce a resolution, AEW’s legal team reportedly became involved in March 2026.
The filing further alleges that Ring Productions Chief Operating Officer Paul Leighton acknowledged the debt, with the amount reportedly totaling $105,262.51 at the time of the legal action.
As of now, Ring Productions has not publicly responded to the lawsuit and has not yet been formally served. Once service is completed, the company will have a limited period to file an official response.
Queen of the Ring had a brief theatrical run and generated approximately $657,000 at the box office. In addition to AEW talent, the film featured WWE star Naomi, wrestling manager Jim Cornette, and included AEW commentator Jim Ross as an executive producer.
The movie’s promotional campaign generated attention within the wrestling world, including a widely discussed appearance by actress Damaris Lewis during AEW Revolution weekend. Numerous AEW personalities, including Mercedes Moné, Harley Cameron, and Christopher Daniels, also helped support the project through premiere appearances and social media promotion.
The legal dispute now adds an unexpected chapter to the relationship between AEW and the film’s production team, with the matter set to play out in court unless a settlement is reached.