Matthew McConaughey fans in Alabama were thrilled to see the star pop up here in summer 2023, filming a movie in Bessemer, Jasper, Pell City and other locations in and around Birmingham. It’s been 17 long months since the production wrapped, but now the film, written and directed by Andrew Patterson, is ready for release and scheduled for a world premiere.

“The Rivals of Amziah King” is on the lineup for the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival, organizers announced on Wednesday. The movie, a crime thriller that also stars Kurt Russell and newcomer Angelina LookingGlass, will debut in March at the festival in Austin, Texas.

“THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING is officially headed to Austin!” producer Black Bear Pictures said in an Instagram post. “We’re so excited to be premiere this film at @sxsw,”

Screenings of “Amziah King” are planned for March 10 and 13 at the festival, according to the SXSW website. Venues are the Paramount Theatre (March 10, 9:30 p.m.) and ZACH Theatre (March 13, 11 a.m.)

READ: 5 star-studded movies we can’t wait to see, all filmed in the Birmingham area

The SXSW Film & TV Festival is set for March 7-15 at several venues in Austin. It runs concurrently with the SXSW conference, music and comedy festivals.

There no word yet on McConaughey appearing at SXSW to promote the movie, but the actor is a Texas native who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. He has strong ties to his home state, and is an enthusiastic fan of the University of Texas Longhorns.

When “Amziah King” was filming in Alabama, details on the storyline were hard to come by. A plot synopsis posted by SXSW says:

“Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma, charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King herds a bluegrass-playing band of misfits while overseeing the premier honey-making operation in town. When Amziah’s estranged foster daughter unexpectedly returns, Amziah leaps at the possibility to renew connection and create a family business. But the honey game is ruthless, and Amziah’s rivals threaten to destroy everything he has built.”

Along with McConaughey, LookingGlass and Russell, the cast includes Jake Horowitz, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Owen Teague, Bruce Davis and Cole Sprouse, according to the festival site.

Background actors and extras from Alabama were involved in the filming, which took place from June through early August 2023. These roles ranged in age from children to seniors, and included truck drivers, nurses, jail guards, church attendees, elementary school pupils and more.

Filming locations included J&J Grocery & Deli in Bessemer, the Pell City Steak House Restaurant, the Green Valley neighborhood of Hoover, the Frosty Mug in Jasper and the former location of Jean’s on the River in Cordova.

McConaughey was spotted at several Alabama locations during the filming, either doing his job on set or enjoying a private meal where admirers approached him for selfies. He often made the “hook ‘em” hand signal for fans when cell phones came out, showing his support for the Texas Longhorns.

Fans have described their brushes with fame as extremely positive ones, as the actor has greeted the public in a relaxed and congenial way. “He could not have been more low-key and nice,” said Denise Grubbs Harrill, who shook McConaughey’s hand and chatted with him as the actor sat in his car between scenes on July 5 at Automotive Friction Material. “He just seems like a good ol’ Texas boy.”

McConaughey even made time to visit patients at Children’s of Alabama, a pediatric hospital in Birmingham, during his stint here. “Our sincere thanks to Matthew McConaughey for bringing smiles to our patients at Children’s of Alabama,” the hospital said on social media, posting photos of the actor’s visit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The actor, 55, 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 film wasn’t McConaughey’s first visit to Alabama. He previously 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.

Also spotted in different corners of central Alabama was fellow A-list actor Russell, who has a supporting role in “Amziah King.” Fans may have seen the “Escape from New York” and “Miracle” star whipping a truck down a dirt road in Marshall County while filming a car chase.

“He was grinning like a possum one time, when he come down through there driving,” said Marshall County Commissioner Lee Sims. “He was sliding the truck sideways and everything, on that dirt road. He was having a time.”

“The Rivals of Amziah King” managed to remain in production despite the writers’ and actors’ strikes that halted some Hollywood productions and press tours. Variety reported that SAG-AFTRA granted approval to 39 independent productions to shoot during its strike, after confirming that they are not tied to AMPTP companies, including “Amziah King.”