A new report has revealed that AEW has filed a lawsuit against Ring Productions LLC, the company behind the 2025 wrestling biopic Queen of the Ring, alleging the company failed to pay more than $105,000 owed under a promotional sponsorship agreement.
According to a report from PostWrestling.com, the lawsuit claims Ring Productions entered into a sponsorship deal with AEW in January 2025 valued at approximately $350,000. The agreement reportedly included sponsored matches on AEW programming, front-row appearances by members of the film’s cast at AEW events, trailer broadcasts during AEW shows, and promotional posts from AEW talent across social media.
The filing states that Ring Productions paid $250,000 by May 2025 but allegedly failed to pay the remaining balance. AEW claims it is still owed $100,000 in sponsorship fees, more than $5,000 in travel expenses for talent involved in the promotion, as well as interest accrued due to the late payments.
Queen of the Ring, which was released in March 2025, starred Emily Bett Rickards as legendary women’s wrestling pioneer Mildred Burke. The film also featured AEW stars Toni Storm, Kamille, and Britt Baker, alongside appearances from Jim Cornette, Mickie James, and Trinity Fatu. According to the report, the movie earned $657,718 at the box office.
The lawsuit further alleges that AEW made multiple attempts to recover the outstanding balance through email correspondence and a formal demand letter before officially filing suit in Duval County, Florida, on June 26, 2026.
According to the filing, Ring Productions Chief Operating Officer Paul Leighton allegedly acknowledged that the company owed $105,262.51, although the reported communication has not been submitted as evidence as part of the lawsuit.
As of this writing, Ring Productions has not filed a formal response to the legal action.
