Sovereign (film)

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Sovereign
Sovereign film poster.jpg
Official international poster
Directed byChristian Swegal
Written byChristian Swegal
Produced byNick Moceri
Starring Nick Offerman
Jacob Tremblay
Thomas Mann
Nancy Travis
Martha Plimpton
Dennis Quaid
CinematographyDustin Lane
Edited byDavid Henry
Music byJames McAlister
Production
company
All Night Diner
Distributed by Briarcliff Entertainment
Release dates
  • June 8, 2025 (2025-06-08)(Tribeca)
  • July 11, 2025 (2025-07-11)(US)
Running time
101 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$63,777 [2] [3]

Sovereign is a 2025 American crime thriller film [4] written and directed by Christian Swegal and starring Nick Offerman, Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Mann, Nancy Travis, Martha Plimpton, and Dennis Quaid. Based on the events surrounding the 2010 West Memphis police shootings, the film follows Jerry and Joe Kane (Offerman and Tremblay), a father and son who align themselves with the sovereign citizen movement and clash with Police Chief John Bouchart (Quaid).

Contents

The film received a limited theatrical release by Briarcliff Entertainment on July 11, 2025, [5] [6] followed by a digital release on the same day. [7] It received positive reviews from critics, who praised the lead performances of Offerman and Tremblay.

Premise

"Based on real events, the story follows a father and son (Offerman and Tremblay) who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, as they venture across the country and find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police (Dennis Quaid) that sets off an intense manhunt with tragic consequences."

Cast

Production

In February 2023, it was announced that Offerman, Tremblay and Quaid were cast in the film. [10]

In May 2023, it was announced that Briarcliff Entertainment acquired North American distribution rights to the film. [11]

Filming occurred in Fayetteville, Arkansas in February 2024. [12] Filming also occurred that same month in Lincoln, Arkansas. [13] Filming also occurred in Springdale, Arkansas in March 2024. [14]

Release

Sovereign premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 8, 2025. [15] It was released theatrically and on demand by Briarcliff Entertainment on July 11, 2025.

It was released on DVD by Universal Studios on August 26, 2025. [16]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 94% of 69 critics' reviews are positive.The website's consensus reads: "A nerve-jangling thriller that exposes how reactionary extremism can lead to a road of destruction, Sovereign is ruled by Nick Offerman's unforgettably unhinged performance." [17] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 68 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [18]

References

  1. ↑ "Sovereign (15)". British Board of Film Classification . August 26, 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Sovereign (2025)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Sovereign (2025) - Financial Information". The Numbers . Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Sovereign | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  5. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 14, 2025). "Dennis Quaid, Nick Offerman & Jacob Tremblay Thriller 'Sovereign' Stakes Out Summer Release". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Theatrical Release Changes for the Week Ending May 18, 2025". The Numbers . Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  7. ↑ "SOVEREIGN - Official Trailer - In Theaters and Available to Own or Rent JULY 11". Briarcliff Entertainment. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  8. ↑ Petski, Denise (April 29, 2024). "Nancy Travis & Felix Avitia Join 'Grosse Pointe Garden Society' NBC Pilot".
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "'Sovereign' Review: In the Rare Thriller That's Truly Political, Nick Offerman Is Powerful as a Lost Soul of the New Right". Variety. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ Ritman, Alex (February 15, 2023). "Berlin: Nick Offerman, Jacob Tremblay, Dennis Quaid Team for Crime Thriller 'Sovereign' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  11. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 22, 2023). "Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid & Jacob Tremblay Thriller 'Sovereign' Acquired By Briarcliff Entertainment – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid, and Jacob Tremblay shooting movie in Fayetteville". KFSM-TV. February 28, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  13. ↑ Kutter, Lynn (February 29, 2024). "Lincoln OKs use of building for scenes in movie featuring Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  14. ↑ Gaspeny, Al (March 2, 2024). "Teachers, students see movie production up close as 'Sovereign' films at Elmdale Elementary in Springdale". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Sovereign | 2025 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Sovereign". Amazon. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Sovereign". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Sovereign". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
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