💀 King Ivory (2025) – A Hard-Hitting Fentanyl Crime Drama: Cast, Plot, Release Date, Box Office & Where to Watch

“When the poison spreads, no one is safe.”

Brace yourself for one of 2025’s most intense and unflinching crime dramas — King Ivory, the latest film from writer-director John Swab. Arriving in theaters on November 14, 2025, this gritty exposé dives deep into the underworld of fentanyl trafficking, revealing how its deadly influence cuts through every layer of society — from dealers and users to law enforcement and families.

Produced by Jeremy M. Rosen and distributed by Saban Films and Roadside Attractions, King Ivory stars a powerhouse ensemble including James Badge Dale, Ben Foster, Michael Mando, Academy Award nominee Graham Greene, and Academy Award winner Melissa Leo.

🔥 A Story Carved from the Harsh Realities of America’s Drug War

“You can’t clean up the streets when the poison comes from every direction.”

Based on extensive real-world research involving law enforcement, gang members, inmates, migrants, and addicts, King Ivory doesn’t just dramatize the opioid epidemic — it documents it through lived experience.

The film centers on Layne West (James Badge Dale), a seasoned investigator caught in the crossfire between justice and survival. His pursuit of the mysterious drug kingpin known as “King Ivory” pulls him into a world ruled by cartels, corrupted loyalty, and the invisible hand of addiction.

As fentanyl spreads through communities like wildfire, West’s moral compass is tested by men like George “Smiley” Greene (Ben Foster), a hardened enforcer with his own fractured code, and Ramón Garza (Michael Mando), a survivor of the streets caught between desperation and redemption.

💣 Meet the Cast of Shadows

The ensemble of King Ivory reads like a masterclass in raw, emotional performance:

• James Badge Dale as Layne West — a man haunted by the ghosts of his own failures.

• Ben Foster as George “Smiley” Greene — ruthless, calculating, yet deeply human.

• Michael Mando as Ramón Garza — a man living on the edge of violence and survival.

• Graham Greene as Holt Lightfeather — a community elder caught in the crosshairs of systemic decay.

• Melissa Leo as Ginger Greene — a matriarch holding together a family steeped in crime.

• Rory Cochrane, Ritchie Coster, Sam Quartin, and Nikki Dixon round out the gritty cast, each adding texture to the film’s interconnected web of corruption and consequence.

🎥 Behind the Camera: John Swab’s Relentless Vision

Director John Swab, known for Body Brokers and Candy Land, returns with what may be his most personal and ambitious project yet. Teaming up once again with cinematographer Will Stone and editor Andrew Aaronson, Swab paints a stark portrait of modern America’s most lethal crisis — one defined by greed, grief, and the gray morality that drives it all.

Swab’s filmmaking is unflinching — blending documentary realism with cinematic tension to expose a brutal truth: the fentanyl epidemic is not a distant crisis but a mirror held up to society’s failures.

💬 “Everyone’s chasing the same high — power, peace, or poison.”

At its heart, King Ivory isn’t just a story about drugs; it’s about the cost of survival in a system that profits from pain. The film moves through multiple perspectives — cops, criminals, and civilians — to show how fentanyl’s reach extends beyond borders and bloodlines.

Expect gripping performances, raw dialogue, and moments that linger long after the credits roll. This is not a film for the faint-hearted — it’s a wake-up call wrapped in a crime thriller.

🎬 King Ivory

In Theaters: November 14, 2025

Starring: James Badge Dale, Ben Foster, Michael Mando, Graham Greene, Melissa Leo

Directed by: John Swab

Produced by: Jeremy M. Rosen

Distributed by: Saban Films & Roadside Attractions

⚖️ A Must-Watch for Fans of Real-World Crime Dramas

For viewers who appreciated the realism of Traffic, the tension of Sicario, and the emotional weight of Hell or High Water, King Ivory promises a powerful and necessary addition to the genre.

The truth it tells may be painful — but it’s one that can’t be ignored.