Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Under the radar, a quiet movie in regards to marketing had a limited release on August 14, 2026, and a full release on August 21. That movie was The Rivals of Amziah King. I've heard very little about this movie before I watched it, but it may wind up being one of the best this year. It's R-rated, but nothing horrible to speak of. Its genre is where it gets interesting. I would call this a drama, comedy, crime, musical (sort of), and southern folk-type movie, all wrapped up in one. At times, The Rivals of Amziah King feels like a darker cousin of O Brother, Where Art Thou—a Southern folk tale film filled with music, eccentric characters, humor, and violence, but with considerably more grit and less comedy. The writer and director is Andrew Patterson, and it is his second film, following his first low-budget 2019 film, The Vast of Night, which Amazon acquired. Patterson uses abrupt cuts to black between sequences, giving the film an episodic, almost storybook rhythm.
The lead actor playing Amziah King is Matthew McConaughey. Amziah is a beekeeper and owner of a honey production business in a rural Oklahoma community. Along with his other friends, he is quite a musical talent, and McConaughey seems right at home with his southern drawl and musical bluegrass taste. The music is the bond throughout the entire movie. Amziah is reunited with his foster daughter, Kateri, played by newcomer Angelina LookingGlass. Lookingglass plays a major role in her first feature film debut. Kurt Russell plays Dob McCoy, a local business mogul and rival bee businessman. Cole Sprouse plays Oat, one of the members of Amziah's business and music circle. A funnier role is Rimmick, played by Jake Horowitz, which adds some comedic flavor to the film.
Together, Amziah, the honey producer, and Kateri are challenged to catch honey thieves who have threatened the bee and honey community. The approximately 2-hour-and-10-minute movie has twists and turns that build suspense and sometimes heartbreak—a fun fact: all the bee scenes feature real bees, no CGI (computer-generated imagery). Actor Matthew McConaughey actually remains still for approximately 40 minutes during filming while a swarm of bees covers his arm. This scene was shot near the end of filming, just in case he was stung. McConaughey found out he was allergic to bee stings early in the movie's production when he was stung, causing his eye to swell up. A brave actor indeed. Interestingly, very little, if any, CGI was used during filming, lending the film a realistic quality. Also, the film was actually shot in the summer of 2023, mostly in Alabama.
Matthew McConaughey as Amziah King, working with real honey bees.
Screen Shot - Black Bear
One reason for the limited attention and release advertising is that a lesser-known independent studio, Black Bear, is funding and producing the film, and not one of the mega studios. After the film's initial screening at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival on March 10, 2025, Black Bear decided not to sell the rights to a major studio. However, another involved principal production company is Heydey Films, known for the Harry Potter Films. Black Bear produced the Oscar-nominated 2025 film Train Dreams, and Heydey produced the Oscar-winning 2019 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood film. Hince the award-winning style and quality carried over.
I give The Rivals of Amziah King 4 out of 5 hoots. It's a good, down-to-earth movie with no massive green screen CGI effects. Sheds light on the characters' emotional and life struggles, and, even more, on the life of the bee and honey industry, with a little music thrown in. Bee and honey theft is a real thing, believe it or not. The title can be hard to remember, but I hope the movie gains traction and more people see it. This movie is worth watching; it may win some awards. If you see it, let me know what you think of the movie. Drop it in the comments on social or send us an email at newsdesk@wisenewsnetwork.com
