Matthew McConaughey will be in Alabama this summer, filming “The Rivals of Amziah King,” a crime thriller written and directed by Andrew Patterson.

The Oscar-winning actor was announced as the star of the movie on May 8 by Black Bear Pictures, an independent studio based in California and London. Black Bear Pictures is fully financing the film, according to reports by Deadline, Variety and other entertainment media.

“Although specific plot details are being kept under wraps, the film is described as a deeply atmospheric, character-focused crime thriller set against the unique backdrop of remote Oklahoma,” Deadline said. “McConaughey will play the titular role of Amziah King.”

Although the movie is set in Oklahoma, several locations in and around Birmingham will be used for filming during a seven-week period in June and July, according to Jessica Moody, director of programs and operations for Film Birmingham and Create Birmingham. It’s unclear when McConaughey will arrive in Birmingham, but Moody said principal photography was set to begin on June 12.

Film Birmingham “serves as the film office for the Greater Birmingham region,” according to its website, and acts as “the primary liaison between film production and city agencies.”

Goleman Casting posted a Facebook notice on Thursday for featured background actors for “The Rivals of Amziah King.” The Facebook post doesn’t mention McConaughey, but says the movie is looking for three male actors to portray musicians, all of whom play string instruments. Goleman Casting, a company with offices in Alabama and Mississippi, lists filming dates as June 12-July 31.

Goleman Casting also posted an April 28 teaser on its Facebook page, apparently referring to the McConaughey film. “Birmingham …… free up your calendar in June and July! We’ve joined a major feature film for background casting!” the post said. “Details soon ……”

Producers for “The Rivals of Amziah King” include Teddy Schwarzman of Black Bear Pictures and David Heyman, founder of Heyday Films. Heyday produced the “Harry Potter” film series, as well as the “Fantastic Beasts” movies and Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

“Black Bear is thrilled to partner with our friends at Heyday in supporting the bold creation that will be ‘The Rivals of Amziah King,’” Schwarzman said via a press release. “Andrew Patterson’s visionary filmmaking and Matthew McConaughey’s extraordinary talent are sure to deliver audiences a truly original and compelling film.”

McConaughey, 53, is a household name in the entertainment world. He’s known for movies such as “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Dazed and Confused,” “A Time to Kill,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Magic Mike,” “Mud,” “Free State of Jones,” “Interstellar” and more. He won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and other accolades for his role in 2013′s “Dallas Buyers Club.” McConaughey also earned acclaim for his work in the first season of the TV series “True Detective.”

This won’t be the actor’s first visit to Alabama. McConaughey filmed scenes for 2006′s “Failure to Launch” in Cherokee and Etowah counties, according to a 2005 report by The Gadsden Times. The actor went rock climbing at Cherokee Rock Village in Leesburg and filmed a mountain-biking scene on a nearby ridge, a producer for the movie said.

McConaughey also was spotted in Mobile in February 2015, around the time he filmed “Free State of Jones” in Louisiana.

Patterson, 40, made his directing debut with 2019′s “The Vast of Night,” a sci-fi movie that earned applause at the Slamdance Film Festival, where it won an audience award for best narrative feature. “The Vast of Night” moved on to success at other film festivals, and won several awards from regional festivals and film critics circles, according to IMDb.

“When I first watched ‘The Vast of Night,’ it was clear me that Andrew Patterson was a remarkable talent with a singular vision,” producer Heyman said in a press release for “The Rivals of Amziah King.” “I am incredibly excited to be working with Andrew and to support him and Matthew as they bring Amziah to life and make what I believe will be an extraordinary film.”

It’s unclear if Patterson’s script for “The Rivals of Amziah King” will bear any resemblance to a previous project with that title, which he evidently filmed, at least in part, about five years ago in Navarro County, Texas. A report by the Corsicana Daily Sun said Patterson filmed scenes there in August 2018 for a movie called “The Rivals of Amziah King,” and described its storyline this way:

“The film is based upon a woman named Kateri, who is played by Beckah Boykin, that leaves her small town life behind for bigger ventures. After learning her grandfather has gone missing, she returns and begins the business of beekeeping, fighting her way to the top, while she searches for him.”

Patterson was the writer and director of the 2018 indie film, the Corsicana Daily Sun said. Lauren Bedsole and Adam Dietrich were mentioned as producers. (Dietrich was one of the producers for “The Vast of Night,” according to IMDb, and had an acting role in Patterson’s 2019 movie.)

A handful of videos from actors auditioning for the 2018 movie can be found on YouTube, but there’s no evidence that an earlier version of “The Rivals of Amziah King” was ever completed or released.

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