The Oscar winner’s hometown legacy will be celebrated as Alamo Drafthouse’s Mueller location becomes the Matthew McConaughey Cinema ahead of a special screening of ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’.
Matthew McConaughey becomes the latest filmmaker and performer to receive the distinction at an Alamo Drafthouse location, joining a group that includes Christopher Nolan, Bong Joon Ho, Pam Grier, Spike Lee, John Hughes and Ivan Reitman.
“More than just what’s on the screen, movies have always been about who you watch them with and the memories you take home,” McConaughey said in a statement. “Alamo Drafthouse has championed that kind of moviegoing from the very beginning, and to have a theater dedicated in my name in the city that’s shaped so much of who I am means a great deal to me.”
Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann said the honor reflects both McConaughey’s cinematic legacy and his deep connection to Austin.
“Matthew’s work has shaped the way audiences connect with movies,” Kustermann said. “And his love for this city and for Texas has made him part of its creative fabric. Naming this cinema for Matthew is our way of honoring that connection.”
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson also praised the actor, calling him “a beloved local Austin icon” whose work extends well beyond Hollywood.
“He’s also a good guy doing great things for young people across this community and around the country,” Watson said. “The renaming of the Alamo Drafthouse at Mueller is a wonderful way to celebrate his professional accomplishments and celebrate someone who genuinely loves this city.”
The celebration also serves as a launch event for ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’, which opens in limited release on Aug. 14.
Directed by Andrew Patterson, the Black Bear drama stars McConaughey as Amziah King, an Oklahoma beekeeper and bluegrass musician whose quiet life is disrupted when his foster daughter returns home and long-standing rivalries begin to surface. The film premiered at SXSW in 2025, where it earned a rare standing ovation and strong critical acclaim.
A Texas native born in Uvalde and a graduate of the University of Texas, McConaughey has remained one of the state’s most recognizable ambassadors throughout his career. Renaming one of Austin’s most iconic movie theaters in his honor further cements his place not only in Hollywood history but in the cultural identity of the city that helped shape him.
