Matthew McConaughey Returns in The Rivals of Amziah King
Matthew McConaughey stars in the much-praised crime drama The Rivals of Amziah King, set for a US cinema release in August 2026 after earning a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score at its festival premiere.
Independent outfit Black Bear has wasted no time making its mark on the American cinema scene, having just launched its own distribution arm. After opening with the Jason Statham-led Shelter, the company has now set its sights on a rather different beast: a crime drama fronted by Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey, which critics have already dubbed “one of the best films of 2025.”
Andrew Patterson, both writer and director, brings The Rivals of Amziah King to the screen, with McConaughey taking the lead as Amziah King. The cast is a proper ensemble, featuring Kurt Russell, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Jake Horowitz, and Angelina LookingGlass. Black Bear has finally pinned down a date for the film’s US release: 22 August 2026.
Plot and Characters
Set deep in the wilds of rural Oklahoma, the story follows Amziah King, a charismatic figure with a knack for music, who leads a ragtag bluegrass band and runs the town’s top honey business. Life takes a turn when his estranged foster daughter reappears, giving him a shot at mending old ties and perhaps building a family venture. But the honey trade, as it turns out, is anything but sweet, and Amziah soon finds himself up against rivals determined to bring his world crashing down.
“Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma, charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King herds a bluegrass-playing band of misfits while overseeing the premier honey-making operation in town. When Amziah's estranged foster daughter unexpectedly returns, Amziah leaps at the possibility to renew connection and create a family business. But the honey game is ruthless, and Amziah's rivals threaten to destroy everything he has built.”
Critical Reception
The film made its first splash at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it quickly became a favourite among critics. With 31 reviews tallied, it’s currently sitting at a striking 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. Cinapse didn’t hold back, awarding a full 5 out of 5 and describing the film as
“a sprawling, intimate, and entirely unpredictable epic, the kind of movie that sets your heart on fire.”
Discussing Film was equally effusive, calling it
“an early contender for one of the best films of 2025.”
Variety, meanwhile, saw the film as a perfect fit for McConaughey’s much-anticipated return to the big screen:
“It’s been six years since Matthew McConaughey starred in a movie, and when you watch The Rivals of Amziah King, it’s easy to see why this was the one that lured him back. It gives him a role that fits his scraggly aging-bad-boy redneck charm like a glove.”
Collider also singled out McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, and Patterson for praise, calling the film
“one of the very best and most crowd-pleasing movies of the year.”
Black Bear’s Upcoming Slate
The Rivals of Amziah King is just one part of Black Bear’s ambitious line-up for 2026. Also on the horizon is Tuner, directed by Daniel Roher and starring Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, and Leo Woodall, which is set to arrive in cinemas on 22 May. Later in the year, audiences can look forward to Guy Ritchie’s black comedy thriller Wife & Dog, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike, Cosmo Jarvis, James Norton, Paddy Considine, and Anthony Hopkins, scheduled for release on 23 October.