When discussion turns to the greatest female professional wrestlers of all-time, the typical names you hear are The Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young, Rhonda Sing, Wendi Richter, just to name a few. Sadly, too often lost in that conversation is the woman who trained most of the wrestlers I just named; Mildred Burke. A charter member of WWE’s Hall of Fame legacy wing, and a multi-time world champion, Burke is finally getting her moment on the big-screen in Queen of the Ring, a biopic starring Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards.
A new trailer for Queen of the Ring has arrived, and it shows the former Felicity Smoak having bulked up for the role of Mildred Burke. Burke’s heyday was from the 1930s to 1950s when she became the first ever million-dollar female athlete and a world champion at a time when wrestling was banned in much of America. The film centers on the Kansas native who took to wrestling quickly under the tutelage of her manager and eventual husband, Billy Wolfe, played by Josh Lucas. In her career, Burke wrestled hundreds of men and rarely lost.
Also in the cast are Francesca Eastwood (as Mae Young), Tyler Posey, Walton Goggins, Marie Avgeropoulos, Adam Devos, Kelli Berglund, Cara Buono, Deborah Ann Woll (as Gladys Wall), Martin Kove (as Al Haft), and Damaris Lewis. WWE superstar Trinity “Naomi” Fatu plays wrestler Ethel Johnson, with AEW superstars Kamille, Toni Storm, and Britt Baker also cast in the film.
This looks like a great role for Rickards, who has been in need of a spotlight feature role like this. It’s also possibly the latest in what has been a trend of great pro wrestling movies. Fingers crossed for this one.
Queen of the Ring is written and directed by Ash Avildsen (American Satan) based on Jeff Leen’s book The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend.
Queen of the Ring hits theaters on March 7th 2025.
We’re happy to offer our readers the chance to attend a free virtual screening of Prime Video’s upcoming Spanish-language romance film Culpa Tuya (aka Your Fault). The film is a sequel to 2023’s Culpa Mia (aka My Fault).
SYNOPSIS: In this highly anticipated sequel to the international sensation Culpa Mía, Noah and Nick’s passionate romance faces new challenges. Despite their parents’ efforts to keep them apart, their love seems unbreakable. However, as Nick dives into his career and Noah heads off to college, they’re thrust into unfamiliar worlds filled with temptations and new connections. As they navigate the complexities of young adulthood, their relationship is put to the ultimate test. With external forces threatening to tear them apart and their family’s reputation hanging in the balance, Noah and Nick must fight harder than ever to keep their love alive.
The virtual screening takes place tomorrow, December 18th at 7:00pm. Those who register will have a 36-hour window to watch the film. If you’re interested, RSVP at the Amazon site here. Enjoy the show!
Culpa Tuya streams globally on Prime Video December 27th.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was a true cinematic achievement and a worthy follow-up to 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse. As beloved and financially successful as these movies have been, Sony is having a great deal of trouble moving forward on the sequel, Beyond the Spider-Verse. There have been troubling stories about all of the problems they’ve faced, but it seems the skies are beginning to clear because the film now has directors to lead the way.
According to the Spider-Verse Instagram account, Justin K. Thompson and Bob Persichetti will direct Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Persichetti was a co-director on the first film, while Thompson was a co-director on the second, so you’re getting people involved in every part of the trilogy so far.
It’s way too early for plot details, but we know the last film ended with Miles Morales in an alternate reality staring face-to-face with an evil version of himself. Things can only get worse from there, right?
Beyond the Spider-Verse has faced its share of troubles just getting off the ground. There have been stories about poor working conditions affecting the VFX artists, and other rumors about large chunks of the story being thrown out. Sony has pulled the film off of its schedule and has yet to put it back on.
With the hiring of Thompson and Persichetti we could be looking at a film that’s starting over from scratch. And if that’s the case it could be a while before we see Miles’ story come to its epic conclusion.
We’re fortunate to have two movies by the great Barry Jenkins in the span of a week. Boxing drama The Fire Inside, the tremendous boxing drama that Jenkins scripted. And Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, the photorealistic prequel/sequel that serves as an origin story for Simba’s daddy and an iconic Disney villain, and a continuation for Simba’s daughter, Kiara, princess cub of the Pridelands. Jenkins merely directs the latter, and his sensitivity and thoughtful way of untangling knotty emotional relationships would’ve been a benefit. Few are better than he is, and Jenkins manages to overcome artistic pitfalls to craft a gorgeous, engaging tale of brotherhood, privilege, and sibling rivalry in the wild.
Penned by Jeff Nathanson, Mufasa: The Lion King is framed by a lot of unnecessary, but understandable, fan service. Timon (Billy Eichner), Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) and the wise old mandrill Rafiki (John Kani) are left to babysit Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) during a raging thunderstorm when her parents, Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé) must leave unexpectedly. With Kiara terrified by the storm and her parents’ absence, she is calmed with a grand story about Mufasa, her grandfather who had been King.
Red-hot Rebel Ridge breakout Aaron Pierre voices the older Mufasa, but it’s Braelyn Rankins voicing him as a mischievous cub. Because having a lion cub is like a death sentence in the Serengeti (The track record speaks for itself!), Mufasa finds himself a stray, and possibly an orphan when raging flood waters hit their home. Lost, Mufasa nearly drowns but is rescued by Prince Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and taken into a new pride, cared for by Queen Eshe (Thandiwe Newton). But the King, Obasi (Lennie James) is paranoid and hateful of outsiders, banishing Mufasa to stay with the lionesses while he trains Taka to rule one day. But it’s this exile that actually helps Mufasa as he learns to hunt and fend for himself. While he still can’t swim, he’s more capable than Taka who learns from his father that the males only need sleep all day while the females do all of the work.
This xenophobic attitude of Obasi’s comes back to haunt him when his worst fears about deadly roving packs of giant lions comes true. Led by the evil Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen), a massive white lion with a fearsome mane, they attack suddenly and it’s Mufasa who leaps to Eshe’s defense. Desperate to protect the bloodline, Obasi sends Taka away with Mufasa, who has become like a true brother, as his guardian.
While the film tries to play coy, there’s no real secret as to who Taka will eventually become. If Mufasa: The Lion King has a major weakness it’s in the framing devices which drop a hammer on the film’s momentum multiple times, and are too silly for a story with such dire consequences. In one, Timon, Pumbaa, and Kiara tease knowing Taka’s true identity and it’s just too cute by half when the best thing to do would be to just say it. The audience isn’t stupid. Nostalgia is fine but it doesn’t serve the narrative well here.
Mufasa: The Lion King is also a musical, and while that’s not the issue in itself, it is when the songs are so bland. Hard to believe they’re from the generally amazing Nicholas Britell and Lin-Manuel Miranda, but there isn’t a track in here that threatens to become an iconic earworm. There seems to be some acknowledgment of this fact, too, captured in a sequence in which Timon and Pumbaa hit us with an updated version of “Hakuna Matata” titled “Hakuna Mufasa”. Yeah, I know, it sounds like something you’d spoonfeed to a baby. Just not great stuff here.
That said, the main story is thrilling, compelling, and often quite scary. Mufasa and Taka are hunted by the white lions at every turn, while also enduring the dangers of Mother Nature. They eventually hook up with another orphan, the young lioness Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) and her loyal scout Zazu (Preston Nyman), which causes unexpected conflict among the brothers. Just like a woman, always driving men apart! The Cain & Abel parallels are prevalent and play out in exciting ways. Knowing the future for these characters adds gravity to some of their actions, while their words we know will echo well into the future. There’s a fantastic story here that culminates in an epic showdown in the snowy mountains. It’s a battle where one lion’s true character will be revealed, another will ascend to greatness, and the Circle of Life will be rebuilt.
Mufasa: The Lion King is frustrating because it had the potential be so much better, possibly superior to its CGI predecessor. Franchise demands and a lackluster score rob it of that chance, but this is still a worthy successor you won’t feel scarred by for checking out.
Disney releases Mufasa: The Lion King in theaters on December 20th.
It’s been a banner year for Glen Powell with three hit movies to his credit. The rom-com Anyone But You, the summer blockbuster Twisters, and the action-comedy Hit Man really put him on the map in such a way that Powell can do whatever he wants. Well, he’s cashing in on this hot streak by shopping around a new project, titled Homewreckers.
Powell has hit the studios with Homewreckers, an erotic thriller with a touch of sci-fi added to it. The script is by Neil Paik based on his novella, with Powell also aboard as a producer.
No other details are available, but you can expect a bidding war to break out for Homewreckers. That’s the kind of attention Powell has earned.
There’s a lot coming up for Powell including Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, and the upcoming dark comedy Huntington. He also has JJ Abrams’ mystery film, and the Hulu series Chad Powers that he created and will lead. We have to expect that he’ll turn up in the inevitable Top Gun: Maverick sequel, as well.
Paik is the unknown quantity here for most people. He’s writing the Amazon/MGM feature The Bombshell Bandit starring international superstar Priyanka Chopra. He is also set to make his directorial debut with the film Windowshopper, adapting his short story. [Deadline]
Wickedis already the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation ever with a whopping $525M worldwide. With a pair of Golden Globe nominations for stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film is both a certified box office smash and a critical darling, with all eyes on the upcoming sequel which now has an official title: Wicked: For Good.
Erivo, Grande, and director Jon M. Chu shared the news on social media with a short video that shows the title change.
The title comes from a key song in the sequel, a duet between Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) about their tumultuous relationship and how it has impacted their lives.
Much of the cast will return including Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Jeff Golblum as the Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh as Madam Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond. The character of Dorothy Gale will be introduced, and expect that lion cub saved by Elphaba and Fiyero to grow up to become everyone’s favorite Cowardly Lion.
Winnie Holzman and Cruella co-scribe Dana Fox wrote the screenplay, adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
Wicked: For Good opens in theaters on November 21st 2025.
We’re happy to offer our DC readers the chance to attend tonight’s free screening of The Fire Inside! Directed by Rachel Morrison and written by Barry Jenkins, the film stars Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry. It tells the inspiring true story of the greatest female boxer ever, Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the first American woman to win the Olympic gold medal in boxing.
SYNOPSIS: THE FIRE INSIDE is the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school Junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun.
The screening takes place tonight, December 17th at 7:30pm at AMC Tysons Corner. If you’d like to attend, RSVP at the MGM site here. Please remember all screenings are first come first served and you will need to arrive early to ensure seating. Enjoy the show!
Steven Soderbergh famously works very quickly. By the time one movie is opening, he’s usually already wrapped on the next one and maybe starting on another. The start of the year kicked off with his first-ever ghost story, Presence, which debuted at Sundance and hits theaters next month. Just a few weeks after that we’ll be treated to another Soderbergh film, Black Bag, a spy thriller led by Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender.
The first trailer for Black Bag has hit, and it looks like Mr. & Mrs. Smith taken to an even more complicated level. David Koepp’s screenplay follows married couple and spies George and Kathryn who find their relationship and careers put to the test when she is accused of betraying the country.
Also in the cast are Naomie Harris, Rege-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Burke. Another phenomenal ensemble put together by Soderbergh, one of those directors who can always get the best from his stars. Details on the film have been kept under wraps, but Soderbergh has talked about the influence Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? had on the story’s creation.
Here’s the synopsis: From Director Steven Soderbergh, BLACK BAG is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn. When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.
Focus Features will release Black Bag in theaters on March 14th 2025.
Following the motion poster released this morning for James Gunn’s Superman, anticipation for the film’s trailer is through the roof. The rumors have been that it’ll arrive this week, and now we have confirmation of that from the director himself. The first teaser trailer will hit on Thursday, December 19th at 6pm PST, or 9pm EST.
Gunn revealed the info on social media along with a teaser of the DCU Superman logo in what appears to be the Fortress of Solitude.
Further rumors state that Superman might not be the focus of the first trailer. Rather, it cold center more on his four-legged canine pal, Krypto the Superdog.
An exclusive press event showing the trailer will take place tomorrow. I’m hearing that a lot of influencers are being invited to it. Still waiting for mine! It must be stuck in the mail.
The story will find Superman journeying to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent in Smallville, Kansas. As the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way, his kindness is increasingly seen as old-fashioned in the modern world.
Superman opens July 11th 2025 and stars Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan, María Gabriela de Faría, Sara Sampaio, Skyler Gisondo, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, and Frank Grillo.
WWE fans have been wondering when “The Man” Becky Lynch would be returning to the ring. Well, the answer is that it might be a while, because she’s booked a trip into space. Lynch took to social media and confirmed her role in Paramount+’s new series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
“You know when you’ve already been champion of the world, there’s really only one place to go next, and that’s to the stars. And I am so excited to share with all of you that I am joining Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as part of the bridge crew,” said Lynch.
She continued, “This has been the most amazing experience, acting alongside just a spectacular cast and crew, and I cannot wait for all of you to check it out when it comes out on Paramount Plus.”
Lynch wrapped up with a Vulcan salture and the words “Live long and prosper.”
Lynch, aka Rebecca Quinn, has been absent from WWE TV for six months. She took a hiatus at the end of her most recent contract, but is expected to return to the company where she is a seven-time World Champion.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is described as a coming-of-age series following “the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy. The series will introduce viewers to this young group of cadets as they come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.”
Lynch joins a cast that includes Sandro Rosta, Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, George Hawkins, Karim Diané, Zoë Steiner, and Academy Award winners Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti. Also appearing on the show are familiar Star Trek veterans Robert Picardo, Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, and Mary Wiseman.
