# The Rivals of Amziah King
**The Rivals of Amziah King** is a 2025 American crime thriller directed and co-written by Andrew Patterson, starring [Matthew McConaughey](https://www.edgepedia.org/matthew-mcconaughey) as an Oklahoma beekeeper and bluegrass musician whose honey business is threatened by rivals. After premiering at the [South by Southwest](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-by-southwest) (SXSW) Film & TV Festival in March 2025, it received a theatrical release from Black Bear on August 14, 2026, followed by a digital release on September 15, 2026.[1](https://www.filmofilia.com/rivals-amziah-king-release-delay-215726/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king) • [3](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2192159-matthew-mcconaughey-r-rated-western-thriller-movie-streaming-digital)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writers | Andrew Patterson, who wrote the screenplay under the pen name James Montague[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/fullcredits/) |
| Lead cast | Matthew McConaughey as Amziah King; Angelina LookingGlass as Kateri, in her film debut; Kurt Russell as Dob McCoy[5](https://apnews.com/article/84b73b8f7bf46b42044de12a2bc3723a) • [6](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-08-14/rivals-of-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey-angelina-lookingglass-andrew-patterson) |
| Premiere / release | SXSW premiere March 2025; US theatrical release August 14, 2026 (limited), distributed by Black Bear[1](https://www.filmofilia.com/rivals-amziah-king-release-delay-215726/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king) |
| Runtime / rating | 130 minutes; rated R for language and some grisly images[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king) |
| Critical scores | 88% on Rotten Tomatoes (110 reviews); 74/100 on Metacritic ("generally favorable")[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-rivals-of-amziah-king/critic-reviews/) |
| Box office | $2.1 million gross in the United States[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king) |
| Music | Bluegrass, Southern rock, and gospel on the soundtrack, with T Bone Burnett involved in some numbers and music by Erick Alexander, Jared Bulmer, and Ben Hardesty[5](https://apnews.com/article/84b73b8f7bf46b42044de12a2bc3723a) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/soundtrack/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and setting
The film is set in rural Oklahoma, where the charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King leads a bluegrass-playing band of misfits while running the leading honey-making operation in his town. When his estranged former foster daughter unexpectedly returns, he sees a chance to renew their connection and build a family business, but rivals in the ruthless honey trade threaten everything he has built.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king)
Kateri, played by Angelina LookingGlass, is a young Native woman whom Amziah and his now-deceased wife once fostered along with her brother; after her mother's death she left foster care and later reunites with Amziah, who mentors her in beekeeping.[9](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-boasts-matthew-mcconaugheys-best-performance-in-years/) • [10](https://whentostream.com/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-2025/) The story opens as a small-town caper and slice-of-life drama, then shifts into a Western-flavored revenge picture about outlaw justice after [Kurt Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurt-russell)'s character, the agriculture tycoon Dob McCoy, instigates a mid-story turn.[6](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-08-14/rivals-of-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey-angelina-lookingglass-andrew-patterson) • [11](https://theweek.com/culture-life/film/the-end-of-oak-street-the-rivals-of-amziah-king) Reviewers noted that Amziah effectively leaves the film around the hour mark, handing the narrative to Kateri, whose Native heritage becomes key to the film's exploration of legacy and history.[5](https://apnews.com/article/84b73b8f7bf46b42044de12a2bc3723a) • [12](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey-serves-up-his-trademark-southern-charm-in-unpredictable-beekeeping-thriller/5219389.article)
## Production
Andrew Patterson made the film as his second feature, following his 2019 debut *The Vast of Night*. Speaking with [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter), he said the idea came to him right after finishing that film and was something he hoped to move on with fast: he could use a friend's honey plant as a setting, and he wanted the story to focus on a Native American woman who comes to command the narrative as it unfolds.[13](https://usnowdaily.com/articles/matthew-mcconaughey-rivals-of-amziah-king-return) [David Heyman](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-heyman), the British producer of the "Harry Potter" films, "Gravity," "Barbie," and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," had seen *The Vast of Night* and committed to producing whatever Patterson's next movie turned out to be.[14](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-director-andrew-patterson-interview/) The Guardian reported that Patterson worked on the film for seven years.[15](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/11/rivals-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey)
Although the story is set in Oklahoma, much of the movie was shot in Alabama, a point the Associated Press critic raised against the film's sense of authenticity.[5](https://apnews.com/article/84b73b8f7bf46b42044de12a2bc3723a) McConaughey, who is allergic to bees, worked alongside tens of thousands of bees on set and was stung only once, during pre-production.[16](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/matthew-mcconaughey-allergic-bees-worked-1000s-rivals-of-amziah-king) M.I. Littin-Menz, who also shot *The Vast of Night*, served as cinematographer, with Patrick J. Smith as editor.[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/fullcredits/) • [6](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-08-14/rivals-of-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey-angelina-lookingglass-andrew-patterson)
## Release and reception
The film premiered at SXSW in March 2025 to strong reviews, but it then went more than a year without a US distributor, a delay that commentary described as a snapshot of independent film distribution in 2025.[1](https://www.filmofilia.com/rivals-amziah-king-release-delay-215726/) Black Bear ultimately released it itself, in limited theaters on August 14, 2026, with wide release on August 21.[17](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-matthew-mcconaughey-trailer/) The theatrical run was modest: Rotten Tomatoes lists a US gross of $2.1 million, and ComingSoon reported about $3 million worldwide.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king) • [18](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2191257-matthew-mcconaughey-the-rivals-of-amziah-king-digital-release-date) It arrived on premium video on demand and digital storefronts on September 15, 2026, with physical 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD editions scheduled for November 3.[3](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2192159-matthew-mcconaughey-r-rated-western-thriller-movie-streaming-digital)
Critical response was largely positive. Rotten Tomatoes recorded 88% from 110 reviews, with a critics consensus calling it "a sprawling, unpredictable, and genre-blurring epic, anchored by Matthew McConaughey's charm and Angelina LookingGlass's striking debut," and an audience score of 81% from more than 250 verified ratings.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king) Metacritic assigned a weighted score of 74 out of 100, in its "generally favorable" band, with 16 positive, 5 mixed, and no negative reviews.[7](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-rivals-of-amziah-king/critic-reviews/) Matt Zoller Seitz, reviewing for RogerEbert.com, called the film a "sunshine noir" crime thriller whose digressions prove integral to its personality.[19](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-matthew-mcconaughey-film-review-2026) The Guardian's SXSW review was an exception, calling the film an "unwieldy misstep," and the Associated Press gave it two stars out of four, criticizing its genre mixing.[15](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/11/rivals-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey) • [5](https://apnews.com/article/84b73b8f7bf46b42044de12a2bc3723a)
## Music
Music is central to the film. Amziah leads a bluegrass band, and the soundtrack mixes bluegrass, [Southern rock](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-rock), and gospel, with musical sequences produced with [T Bone Burnett](https://www.edgepedia.org/t-bone-burnett)'s involvement, including the [Americana](https://www.edgepedia.org/americana) tunes "Quill" and "Johnny Come Outside."[5](https://apnews.com/article/84b73b8f7bf46b42044de12a2bc3723a) • [12](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey-serves-up-his-trademark-southern-charm-in-unpredictable-beekeeping-thriller/5219389.article) The credited composers are Erick Alexander, Jared Bulmer, and Benjamin Hardesty (as Ben Hardesty), and the soundtrack listing includes songs performed by Matthew McConaughey and Seth Avett with the cast; Ben Hardesty of The Last Bison also appears in the film as one of Amziah's neighbors.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/soundtrack/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/fullcredits/) • [20](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-matthew-mcconaughey-rocks-out-in-the-movie-scene-of-the-summer/)
## References
1. [Rivals of the Amziah King: SXSW Hit, No Buyers, FilmoFilia](https://www.filmofilia.com/rivals-amziah-king-release-delay-215726/)
2. [The Rivals of Amziah King, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_rivals_of_amziah_king)
3. [Matthew McConaughey's R-Rated Neo-Western Movie Now Streaming on Digital, ComingSoon.net](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2192159-matthew-mcconaughey-r-rated-western-thriller-movie-streaming-digital)
4. [The Rivals of Amziah King (2025) - Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/fullcredits/)
5. [Movie Review: 'The Rivals of Amziah King' is a Southern fried flick with too many ingredients, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/84b73b8f7bf46b42044de12a2bc3723a)
6. ['The Rivals of Amziah King' review: Beekeeping, bluegrass and McConaughey, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-08-14/rivals-of-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey-angelina-lookingglass-andrew-patterson)
7. [The Rivals of Amziah King critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-rivals-of-amziah-king/critic-reviews/)
8. [The Rivals of Amziah King (2025) - Soundtracks, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27706593/soundtrack/)
9. ['The Rivals of Amziah King' Boasts Matthew McConaughey's Best Performance in Years, The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-boasts-matthew-mcconaugheys-best-performance-in-years/)
10. [The Rivals of Amziah King (2025), When To Stream](https://whentostream.com/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-2025/)
11. [Film reviews: 'The End of Oak Street' and 'The Rivals of Amziah King', The Week](https://theweek.com/culture-life/film/the-end-of-oak-street-the-rivals-of-amziah-king)
12. ['The Rivals Of Amziah King' review, Screen Daily](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey-serves-up-his-trademark-southern-charm-in-unpredictable-beekeeping-thriller/5219389.article)
13. [Matthew McConaughey Ends Five-Year Film Break With 'The Rivals of Amziah King', US News Daily](https://usnowdaily.com/articles/matthew-mcconaughey-rivals-of-amziah-king-return)
14. [Inside The Rivals of Amziah King with Director Andrew Patterson, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-director-andrew-patterson-interview/)
15. [The Rivals of Amziah King review, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/11/rivals-amziah-king-review-matthew-mcconaughey)
16. [Matthew McConaughey Is Allergic To Bees. Naturally, He Worked With '1000s' On His New Movie, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/matthew-mcconaughey-allergic-bees-worked-1000s-rivals-of-amziah-king)
17. ['The Rivals of Amziah King' Trailer Debuts, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-matthew-mcconaughey-trailer/)
18. [Matthew McConaughey's Acclaimed Thriller Seeks Redemption as It Hits Digital Streaming Today, ComingSoon.net](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2191257-matthew-mcconaughey-the-rivals-of-amziah-king-digital-release-date)
19. [The Rivals of Amziah King review, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-matthew-mcconaughey-film-review-2026)
20. ['The Rivals of Amziah King' Boasts the Rocking Movie Scene of the Summer, The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-rivals-of-amziah-king-matthew-mcconaughey-rocks-out-in-the-movie-scene-of-the-summer/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works) › 2025–2026 films › Crime, heist, and gangster films*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
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