Queenpins - What We Know So Far
Stories about underestimated housewives taking their power back by engaging in criminal activities and revealing their darker inner impulses are particularly popular right now. HBO's original drama "Big Little Lies," which follows several wealthy California mothers brought together by a murder, won eight Emmys in its first season. Meanwhile, the NBC dramedy "Good Girls," in which three suburban moms become involved in a crime ring, ran for four seasons (before NBC canceled it in July 2021), and the Paramount+ series "Why Women Kill" is currently in its second season.
Now, Hollywood is once again capitalizing on this trend with the upcoming comedy film "Queenpins," based on a true story of one of the wildest incidents of forgery in U.S. history. Basically, it's a twisted tale you'll want to see unravel for yourself. Let's take a look at everything we know about "Queenpins" so far — from its release date to its cast to what it's all about.
Who's in the cast of Queenpins?
At the time "Queenpins" was first announced, per Deadline, "Saturday Night Live" alum and all-around funny lady Leslie Jones was slated to star alongside Kristen Bell. By September 2020, Jones was no longer attached to the movie, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste was confirmed to have replaced Jones (via Deadline).
Bell leads the cast of "Queenpins" as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who pulls off the biggest coupon scamming operation in United States history, motivated to do something about the "mountain of debt" she and her husband Rick, played by Joel McHale, are buried beneath. "Queenpins" reunites Bell with her former "The Good Place" and "Veronica Mars" co-star Howell-Baptiste, who recently played Anita in Disney's 2021 film "Cruella" and starred in the first season of the Paramount+ series "Why Women Kill." In "Queenpins," Howell-Baptiste portrays JoJo Johnson, an avid couponer and YouTuber who teams with Bell's Connie to orchestrate the coupon scam.
Other main cast members include pop star Bebe Rexha in her first major acting role as tech genius Tempe Tina, "I, Tonya" actor Paul Water Hauser (who also co-starred in "Cruella with Howell-Baptiste) as "loss prevention officer" Ken Miller, and "True Detective" alum Vince Vaughn as U.S. postal inspector Simon Kilmurry.
What's the plot of Queenpins?
According to Variety, "Queenpins" will tell the story of "a suburban housewife who's fed up with being dismissed and overlooked by her husband and society," who decides to regain control of her life by forming an illegal coupon club. Her operation ends up scamming millions of dollars from big food companies "while delivering deals to millions of fellow coupon clippers." The trailer for "Queenpins" reveals that Connie's plan is to sell coupons — which she obtains by issuing false complaints to companies — to other Americans for a profit. Connie recruits JoJo, and with their combined expertise and help from Tempe Tina, the two begin rolling cash before long.
Since the movie was inspired by the biggest counterfeit coupon scam in U.S. history, it will presumably take cues from the true stories of Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, the three real women believed to be ringleaders of the scam. In 2012, investigators found $25 million in forged coupons while raiding the women's homes, and concluded that at least 40 manufacturers were victims of the scam (via ABC News). Since "Queenpins" is a fictionalized comedy, though, it will likely be lighter in tone than the events that took place in real life.
What's the release date for Queenpins?
"Queenpins" was first announced back in May 2019, with filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, who also co-wrote the flick, attached to direct (via Deadline). Gaudet and Pullapilly previously collaborated on the 2009 documentary "The Way We Get By," which centers on a group of senior citizens who greet returning U.S. troops at the Bangor International Airport in Maine.
STXfilms is distributing "Queenpins" in theaters, and in June 2021, Deadline confirmed that Paramount+ and Showtime beat out other streamers and networks to nab the U.S. streaming rights to the movie. "We love everything about this comedy, especially reuniting with our friend Kristen Bell, who is paired perfectly with Kirby Howell-Baptiste — we know they've got great chemistry, and Kirby has shown she is a master of this kind of comedy in 'Why Women Kill,'" Adam Fogelson, chairman of the STXfilms Motion Picture Group, said in a statement (via Deadline). "Audiences love this kind of entertainment — it's a subversive suburban comedy for moms that dads will enjoy too."
Luckily for those now eager to see the flick, there isn't too much of a wait until "Queenpins" arrives on the big screen. "Queenpins" will debut in U.S. theaters on September 10. After its theatrical run, the film will be available for streaming on Paramount+.