For a few weeks in the summer of 2023, Alabama became Oklahoma.

Matthew McConaughey, Kurt Russell and the cast of The Rivals of Amziah King spent several weeks filming across the greater Birmingham area, using Alabama restaurants, neighborhoods and other familiar locations to create the setting for the new independent film.

Now, more than three years after cameras rolled, Alabama audiences can finally see the finished movie.

The Rivals of Amziah King opens in select theaters Thursday, August 13, with additional screenings planned throughout the weekend and a wider release beginning August 21.

Alabama on the big screen

Directed by Andrew Patterson, the film stars McConaughey as Amziah King, a free-spirited beekeeper and musician who reconnects with his foster daughter and finds himself caught up in trouble.

Although the story takes place in rural Oklahoma, much of what viewers see was filmed in Alabama.

Production ran from June through early August 2023, with locations including J&J Grocery & Deli in Bessemer, Pell City Steak House, the Green Valley neighborhood of Hoover, the Frosty Mug in Jasper and the former Jean’s on the River in Cordova.

Alabama residents also became part of the production, working as background actors and extras. Roles included church attendees, schoolchildren, nurses, jail guards and truck drivers.

For viewers who watched the production move through central Alabama three summers ago, the movie offers a chance to spot some familiar places on screen.

A musical side of McConaughey

McConaughey’s character is not only a beekeeper but also a musician, giving the actor a chance to perform throughout the film.

McConaughey has said the music became an important part of the movie, with performances woven into the story. “Quill,” a song performed by McConaughey and other actors in the film, was released as a single earlier this month.

The cast also includes newcomer Angelina LookingGlass, Owen Teague, Cole Sprouse, Tony Revolori, Rob Morgan and others.

See it in Alabama

The film premiered at South by Southwest in 2025 before its eventual theatrical release.

In Birmingham, The Rivals of Amziah King will screen at AMC Summit 16 and AMC Dine-In Vestavia Hills 10 beginning Thursday. Additional Alabama screenings are planned in Huntsville, Madison and other communities.

The Sidewalk Cinema in downtown Birmingham will begin showing the film August 14, including a special Friday evening screening with director Andrew Patterson and a Q&A.

For Alabama moviegoers, the release is a chance to finally see what those weeks of filming produced — and to see familiar Alabama places transformed into the world of Amziah King.

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