Sovereign (film)
| Sovereign | |
|---|---|
Official International Poster | |
| Directed by | Christian Swegal |
| Written by | Christian Swegal |
| Produced by | Nick Moceri |
| Starring | Nick Offerman Jacob Tremblay Thomas Mann Nancy Travis Martha Plimpton Dennis Quaid |
| Cinematography | Dustin Lane |
| Edited by | David Henry |
| Music by | James McAlister |
Production company | All Night Diner |
| Distributed by | Briarcliff Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 100 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Sovereign is a 2025 American action crime thriller film written and directed by Christian Swegal and starring Nick Offerman, Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Mann, Nancy Travis, Martha Plimpton, and Dennis Quaid. 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).
Based off the events surrounding the West Memphis police shootings in 2010, Sovereign was theatrically released by Briarcliff Entertainment on July 11, 2025.[2][3] The film received generally positive reviews from critics.
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
- Nick Offerman as Jerry Kane
- Jacob Tremblay as Joe Kane
- Dennis Quaid as John Bouchart
- Nancy Travis[4] as Patty Bouchart
- Martha Plimpton as Lesley Anne
- Thomas Mann as Adam Bouchart
- Ruby Wolf as Jess Bouchart
Production
In February 2023, it was announced that Offerman, Tremblay and Quaid were cast in the film.[5]
In May 2023, it was announced that Briarcliff Entertainment acquired North American distribution rights to the film.[6]
Filming occurred in Fayetteville, Arkansas in February 2024.[7] Filming also occurred that same month in Lincoln, Arkansas.[8] Filming also occurred in Springdale, Arkansas in March 2024.[9]
Release
Sovereign premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 8, 2025.[10]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 90% of 41 critics' reviews are positive.[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 63 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]
References
- ^ "Sovereign". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 14, 2025). "Dennis Quaid, Nick Offerman & Jacob Tremblay Thriller 'Sovereign' Stakes Out Summer Release". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ "Theatrical Release Changes for the Week Ending May 18, 2025". The Numbers. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ Petski, Denise (April 29, 2024). "Nancy Travis & Felix Avitia Join 'Grosse Pointe Garden Society' NBC Pilot".
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid, and Jacob Tremblay shooting movie in Fayetteville". KFSM-TV. February 28, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Sovereign | 2025 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "Sovereign". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
- ^ "Sovereign Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 10, 2025.