If early talk is anything to go by, King Ivory might be one of those films that gets people talking long after the credits roll. The upcoming action-thriller, directed by John Swab, is said to revolve around the fentanyl epidemic, but not in a preachy way. It supposedly shows how a single drug connects people from every side of life: police, dealers, addicts, parents, and kids who just happen to be caught in between.
The story is believed to follow Layne West (played by James Badge Dale), a Tulsa cop whose world collapses when his own son gets pulled into addiction.From there, he reportedly takes on a mission that might be part revenge, part redemption, and part obsession.
It’s unclear how much of the film leans on action versus drama, but from what’s been said so far, King Ivory could feel less like a traditional cop movie and more like a slow-burn look at how the crisis eats away at everyone it touches.
The cast list floating around online is stacked, Ben Foster, Michael Mando, Melissa Leo, Graham Greene, and Rory Cochrane are all said to appear.
Each seems to represent a different piece of the system: the mob, the cartel, the addicts, the families, and the law. It’s not clear how these stories connect, but if Swab’s past work (Body Brokers, Ida Red) is any hint, the tone might be gritty, quiet, and uncomfortable in the best way.
So far, reactions from those following the production have focused on the film’s raw subject matter. Some think it might aim for realism; others believe it’ll be more stylized, maybe even something between a crime thriller and a character study.
King Ivory is slated for release on November 14, 2025, and if it lives up to what’s being discussed, it could easily become one of Swab’s most grounded and emotionally heavy projects yet.
Note: This article is based only on publicly available information and early production descriptions. We haven’t viewed the film or any advance material, and we do not claim to know its final content or storyline.
