No matter how much things change, film distribution’s quirks will always stay the same. For instance: Andrew Patterson’s The Rivals of Amziah King, which premiered to good notices at SXSW… in 2025. It was acquired soon after by Black Bear, who moved into the distribution sphere (you may have heard, but might not have watched, a movie they released called Christy) and put this flick on the shelf for the better part of a year and a half. It’s finally going to see the light of day in August, but boy, you’d think a Matthew McConaughey-led southern crime saga would wind up somewhere other than in Hot January — especially with a 97 percent on the Tomatometer.
Anyway, we were huge fans of Patterson’s first feature, The Vast of Night, which you should go out and watch on Prime Video if you haven’t already, so we’re more than down to see what he’s cooked up with McConaughey. Apparently, it involves a lot of bees, and if you’re going to make the “stealth Beekeeper sequel” joke, well, there’s an actual sequel to the Jason Statham action vehicle arriving next year.
So, check out the trailer that Black Bear dropped while you’re trying not to think about which thinly-veiled political caricatures Statham’s gonna go after this time.
Peep it:
Here’s an official synopsis for The Rivals of Amizah King:
“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.”
The Rivals of Amizah King will hit select theaters on August 14 before expanding nationwide on August 21.