She Rides Shotgun | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Nick Rowland |
Screenplay by | Jordan Harper Ben Collins Luke Piotrowski |
Based on | She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Wyatt Garfield |
Edited by | Julie Monroe |
Music by | Blanck Mass |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 120 minutes [2] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
She Rides Shotgun is a 2025 American crime thriller film directed by Nick Rowland, written by Jordan Harper, Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, and starring Taron Egerton. It is based on Harper's 2017 novel of the same name. [3]
It was released on August 1, 2025, by Lionsgate.
The story opens with a haunting narration about a man who sees himself as a god made up of other men, tied to the violent gang Aryan Steel, which chants “Forever Steel, Steel forever.” This dark imagery shifts to a normal scene of Polly, a young girl waiting for her mother. Her estranged father Nathan, newly released from prison, appears and persuades her to come with him. Although Polly hesitates and asks about her mother, Nathan insists everything is fine and denies being a monster.
On the road, Polly notices unsettling details, such as stolen belongings from her home. At a motel she sees a news broadcast revealing that her mother and stepfather have been murdered, that she is listed in an Amber Alert, and that Nathan is the main suspect linked to Aryan Steel. Polly secretly calls Detective John Park, reporting that gang members with blue lightning tattoos were responsible. When Nathan learns of her call, he admits his lie and confesses that Aryan Steel killed her mother because of his past actions. He warns Polly that the same gang now wants her, and gives her the choice of returning to the police or staying with him. Despite her fear, Polly chooses her father, who promises honesty and teaches her survival tactics, urging her to fight back against men marked with blue lightning tattoos.
Their fragile bond grows as Nathan disguises Polly, cuts her hair, and comforts her through moments of grief, telling her that her mother’s strength now lives within her. Seeking shelter, Nathan brings Polly to Charlotte, an old acquaintance connected to his brother Nick. Though reluctant, Charlotte allows them to stay, and Polly learns more about Nathan’s violent past and the grip Aryan Steel has on their lives. These revelations deepen Polly’s struggle, as she realizes her father is both her protector and a man still entangled in a dangerous world that threatens them both.
In June 2023, Taron Egerton was attached to star in the film with Nick Rowland directing. Rowland revised the screenplay by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, based on the novel by Jordan Harper. [4] In October 2023, it was announced that Fifth Season would fully finance the film with Brad Weston and Collin Creighton producing for Makeready and Hiro Murai and Nate Matteson for Superfrog. Taron Egerton is set to star and serve as executive producer. [5]
Principal photography took place in January and February 2024. The supporting cast includes Ana Sophia Heger, Rob Yang, John Carroll Lynch, Odessa A'zion and David Lyons. [6]
In June 2025, Lionsgate acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, and has released it in a limited theatrical release on August 1, 2025. [7]
The soundtrack album, composed by Blanck Mass, was released on Invada Records. [8]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 86% of 61 critics' reviews are positive.The website's consensus reads: "A gritty thriller grounded in powerful emotional stakes, She Rides Shotgun is harrowing but enlivened by Taron Egerton and Ana Sophia Heger's superb performances." [9] [10] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 73 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [11] [12] Movie Review wrote, "Nick Rowland's She Rides Shotgun is a gritty, emotionally charged thriller." [13]