Andrew Patterson’s highly anticipated sophomore feature, Rivals of Amziah King, is set to make its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival this March. The crime thriller, starring Matthew McConaughey and Kurt Russell, unfolds in the heart of Oklahoma, where the seemingly peaceful world of honey production hides a dangerous undercurrent of rivalry and survival.
A Return to the Big Screen for McConaughey
For McConaughey, this marks his first film role in nearly six years. The Oscar-winning actor last appeared in three 2019 films — Serenity, The Beach Bum, and The Gentlemen. His return to cinema in Rivals of Amziah King adds to the excitement surrounding the project, making it one of the most anticipated films of the festival.
Described as a crime thriller, the film follows a man who runs the premier honey-making operation in town — but 'the honey game is ruthless'. As competitors threaten everything he has built, Amziah King is forced into a battle for survival in a world that is far more treacherous than it appears on the surface.
Shot in June 2023, Rivals of Amziah King was one of only 39 independent productions granted an exemption to continue filming during the SAG-AFTRA strike. The film underwent additional reshoots later that year, ensuring that Patterson’s vision was fully realized before its upcoming premiere.
Andrew Patterson’s Follow-Up to The Vast of Night
Patterson made waves in 2019 with his debut feature, The Vast of Night, a low-budget sci-fi mystery that premiered at Slamdance and later gained critical acclaim upon its release through Amazon. While the film’s exact budget remains undisclosed, reports suggest it was under $500,000, proving Patterson’s ability to craft compelling cinema with limited resources. With Rivals of Amziah King, he steps into a larger arena, bringing his signature style to an entirely new genre.
As Rivals of Amziah King prepares to debut at SXSW, the intrigue surrounding the film continues to build. With McConaughey’s long-awaited return, a fresh and unpredictable setting, and a director with a knack for atmospheric storytelling, this film is shaping up to be one of the festival’s biggest draws.
