Cruella star Paul Walter Hauser's new movie Queenpins is set to be the first film to feature AEW references.

Hauser stars in the film alongside Kristen Bell and Vince Vaughn, which focuses on two housewives who create a $40 million coupon scam.

Appearing on the Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast with WWE Hall of Famer Sean 'X-Pac' Waltman, longtime wrestling fan Hauser explained that the movie originally featured references to WWE which he had changed to be AEW nods.

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"Queenpins was the thing that I got this part in this movie, and I saw there were WWE references in the movie," Hauser explained.

"They were just in there because they had another guy before me who dropped out, and then I signed on, but I read the script, and I go, 'Can we change this to AEW? I happen to know the owner. I could probably get you a decent deal with the licensing and the images.'"

"They go, 'Yeah, let us know if we can do that. That'd be great.' If you watch the movie Queenpins, you will see what I believe it is the first film in Hollywood to feature AEW in the film."

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All Elite Wrestling - Ricky Havlik

Related: Chris Jericho talks AEW honouring Owen Hart's legacy

Hauser also starred in I, Tonya with The Falcon and The Winter Solider's Sebastian Stan and the two have previously talked about doing a wrestling biopic on Ric Flair.

During an interview with Collider in April, Stan was asked a question sent in by Hauser, who wanted to know when they'd work together again.

"We got to do that Ric Flair/Anderson biopic," Stan said. "[Hauser's] so funny. I mean, he's such a big wrestling fan and I was a big wrestling fan too growing up. Like, I loved WWF and stuff.

"And we both have a kip-up. So, maybe Ric Flair. I'll do it in a second if they let me. I mean, pretty soon, I'll be eligible, I guess."

Catch AEW Dynamite live every Thursday at 1am in the UK and Rampage every Saturday at 3am on FITE with an AEW Plus subscription. US customers can also watch both shows on TNT, and in the UK, Dynamite repeats air on ITV4.

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Reporter, Digital Spy 

Stephanie is a writer who specialises in pro wrestling, covering everything from AEW and WWE to NJPW. 

After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she went on to study journalism at Birbeck University. 

Outside of her journalism work Stephanie is also a YouTube content creator focusing on AEW and interviewing talent from AEW, WWE, and across the indie wrestling scene. She has also worked for Revolution Pro Wrestling as a backstage interviewer and commentator.

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