Sovereign (film)

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).

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	June 8, 2025 (2025-06-08) (Tribeca) July 11, 2025 (2025-07-11) (US)
Running time	100 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$63,777[2][3]

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

• Nick Offerman as Jerry Kane
• Jacob Tremblay as Joe Kane
• Thomas Mann as Adam Bouchart
• Nancy Travis^[8] as Patty Bouchart
• Martha Plimpton as Lesley Anne
• Dennis Quaid as Chief John Bouchart
• Ruby Wolf^[9] as Jess Bouchart
• Terry J. Nelson^[9]
• Megan Mullally^[9]
• Bobby Gilchrist^[9]
• Kezia DaCosta^[9] as Candace Jeffers
• Tommy Kramer^[9]

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.

Is scheduled to be 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]