Matthew McConaughey Returns in Gritty Crime Epic The Rivals of Amziah King
Matthew McConaughey stars in The Rivals of Amziah King, a crime drama earning rave reviews and a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, set for a U.S. cinema release in August 2026.
Independent outfit Black Bear has thrown its hat into the U.S. cinema ring, rolling out a fresh distribution arm and lining up a string of big-name projects. After kicking things off with Jason Statham’s action flick Shelter, the studio has now locked in a date for Matthew McConaughey’s latest turn in a crime drama that’s already got critics buzzing.
Helmed and penned by Andrew Patterson, the film—titled The Rivals of Amziah King—sees McConaughey take on the lead role, joined by a cast featuring Kurt Russell, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Jake Horowitz, and Angelina LookingGlass. Black Bear has set the film to hit U.S. cinemas on 22 August 2026, giving punters plenty of time to get keen.
Backwoods Drama and Bluegrass Beats
Set deep in rural Oklahoma, the story follows Amziah King, a bloke with a knack for music and a talent for running the town’s top honey business. He’s got a ragtag bluegrass band under his wing, but things get complicated when his foster daughter, who he hasn’t seen in yonks, suddenly reappears. Amziah jumps at the chance to reconnect and maybe kick off a family venture, but the honey trade’s cutthroat, and rivals are circling, ready to take him down a peg.
The official synopsis sums it up:
“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.”
Festival Buzz and Critical Praise
The Rivals of Amziah King made its debut at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it quickly became a favourite among critics. With 31 reviews tallied, it’s sitting pretty at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, a rare feat for any film.
Cinapse gave it a perfect score, calling it
“a sprawling, intimate, and entirely unpredictable epic, the kind of movie that sets your heart on fire.”
Discussing Film was just as impressed, naming it
“an early contender for one of the best films of 2025.”
Variety reckoned it was the ideal comeback for McConaughey, noting,
“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 heaped praise on McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, and director Andrew Patterson, calling the film
“one of the very best and most crowd-pleasing movies of the year.”
Black Bear’s 2026 Slate
Alongside The Rivals of Amziah King, Black Bear’s got a busy year ahead. Daniel Roher’s Tuner, starring Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, and Leo Woodall, is set for a 22 May release. Later in the year, Guy Ritchie’s black comedy thriller Wife & Dog, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike, Cosmo Jarvis, James Norton, Paddy Considine, and Anthony Hopkins, will land in cinemas on 23 October.
With a line-up like this, Black Bear’s making a serious play for the attention of filmgoers across the country, and The Rivals of Amziah King looks set to be a highlight of the year.