After launching its domestic distribution arm, financier Black Bear is working on a plan to release the critically acclaimed Matthew McConaughey crime drama The Rivals of Amziah King into theaters.
The pic drew a standing ovation and a 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes out of this year’s SXSW, but got no immediate buyers. Peg that to the wonky economics of the acquisition business nowadays and the rift between production cost and sales prices. There are several indie movies that have gone unsold from the agencies or have found a long road to distribution: Next weekend, Vertical is finally releasing Ron Howard’s period thriller Eden, which stars Ana de Armas, Jude Law, Sydney Sweeney and Vanessa Kirby, from last year’s TIFF
Rivals of Amziah King was screened at Berlin to buyers, but given its back country-set Americana storyline, it’s a hard sell overseas.
The pic is directed and co-written by Andrew Peterson and produced by Harry Potter and future 007 franchise guy David Heyman and is truly an original movie, one that struck McConaughey to commit to it. Peterson, after making The Vast of Night for retailer, which went straight to Prime, reportedly drew the attention of Hollywood heavyweights like Steven Spielberg, seeing his unique filmmaking sensibility. Peterson opted to keep his next film indie.
Similar to the way Ryan Coogler’s Sinners uses blues and gospel, Rivals of Amziah King has this sublime undertone of bluegrass. McConaughey plays a beekeeper, and side bluegrass band frontman, in rural Oklahoma whose honey business begins to thrive again when his foster daughter (newcomer Angelina LookingGlass) comes back into his life. All is sweet, and she even begins to chime in with the band, until the hives are stolen. Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague and Kurt Russell also star.
No word whether the movie will be primed for an awards-season release or hitting cinemas next year. As far as a possible McConaughey awards title this season, he has Apple Original Films’ The Lost Bus world premiering at TIFF and in select theaters September 19, followed by an October 3 streaming date. The Paul Greengrass-directed movie explores what went wrong in California’s Camp Fire, the nation’s deadliest wildfire in a century, and includes stories of a bus driver and school teacher who helped kids through the fire.
Deadline first told you that Black Bear was launching a U.S. theatrical distribution arm led by former CAA Media Finance agent Benjamin Kramer. On Thursday, it was announced that Lionsgate distribution vet David Spitz would be Head of U.S. Theatrical Distribution reporting to Kramer.
About the Author
