The Rivals of Amziah King, the Movie's Plot

The Rivals of Amziah King is the crime and thriller movie coming out. The plot is set in the remote areas of rural Oklahoma: Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass) loses her mother, and her life takes a dramatic turn. She reunites with her former foster parent, Amziah (Matthew McConaughey) and the dynamics of her daily life change. He becomes her mentor, revealing hidden abilities. He leads a band of misfits who play bluegrass, while managing the area's main honey-producing company: now with Kateri he wants to reconnect and create a family business. But the honey market is ruthless and Amziah's rivals threaten to destroy everything he has built.

The Rivals of Amziah King, the Movie's Trailer

"In everything there is truth and lies. And I am here to tell you what is false and what is true" says Kurt Russell's character in the released trailer. "I would be cautious about sticking your nose in this business. It's not a place for kind people" says Amziah, referring to honey production. "Bees only swarm when they are ready to fight" he states.

The Rivals of Amziah King, the Movie's Cast

Matthew McConaughey won a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, and has worked in The Lost Bus, Interstellar, Killer Joe, A Time to Kill. Kurt Russell has acted in Fast & Furious 9 - The Fast Saga and in the TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

In the cast are Cole Sprouse, protagonist of the new movie Lisa Frankenstein, and who has worked in the TV series Riverdale and in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, in the role of Cody Martin; Angelina LookingGlass, Rob Morgan and Catherine Dyer. The direction is by Andrew Patterson, who has already directed The Vast of Night.

The Rivals of Amziah King, the Movie's Production and Filming

The production is by Black Bear Pictures and Heyday Films. Filming took place in Alabama during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, with an interim agreement to allow it to take place during the strike. It concluded in August 2023.

The Rivals of Amziah King, Critics' Reviews and the Movie's Release Date

The movie was presented at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival of 2025, receiving sufficient reviews. For Collider "it is a joyful, touching, hilarious and exciting dramatic comedy that will stay with you". For New York Magazine (Vulture) "although The Rivals of Amziah King is a novel as rich in detail as a comfortable sofa, if there is one thing it addresses in particular, it is the commitment necessary to hold a community together".

For The Guardian, "McConaughey may be a capable pilot, but this is a cumbersome vehicle: too big, too long and, in general, with too many components to function smoothly". The movie is released in American theaters on August 14, 2026.