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John Swab, the writer/director of grim and gritty crime dramas likeIda Red,Candy Land, andBody Brokers, is back with a new film,Little Dixie. Fans of Swab’s work will likely recognize more than a few familiar actors, including frequent collaboratorFrank Grillo, who is once again playing a leading role. Like Swab’s previous works,Little Dixiedeals with desperate people doing desperate things in a grim and often morally gray world full of violence, gangs, and drugs.
With the film set to release soon, here are all the details we have about theLittle Dixierelease date, plot details, cast, crew, and more.
Related:‘The Purge 6’: Frank Grillo Says He’s “Got One More” ‘Purge’ Film Left In Him
Watch the Little Dixie Trailer
Paramount released a trailer forLittle Dixieon July 13, 2025. The trailer focuses heavily on the atmosphere of the movie, far more than introducing characters or plot. Quick cuts and a tense soundtrack work with the grim cinematography to create a feeling of unease. The extreme violence that the cartel members are capable of is clearly displayed, as is the vulnerability of Doc and his family.
When and Where Is Little Dixie Coming Out?
Little Dixiewill premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival on June 06, 2025, and will then open in select US theaters a few days later, on February 3. Be sure to check your local listings to see if it is playing at a theater near you. But don’t despair ifLittle Dixieisn’t playing at your local theater though. Amazon already has a listing for preorderingLittle Dixieand Paramount states thatLIttle Dixiewill be available digitally and on Demand beginning February 3. So you do have the option to watch this thriller from the comfort of your own home. Be sure to check Paramount’s streaming service,Paramount+, as well, as Paramount has acquired the distribution rights forLittle Dixie, so it may be available there at some point down the line.
Pre-Order on Amazon
Fans of John Swab’s previous gritty thrillers should be sure to check outLittle Dixieas it looks to have themes, atmosphere, and of course actors in common with his earlier films. Whether you plan to watch the film in theaters or at home on demand, be sure to mark your calendars for February 3.
What Is Little Dixie About?
Little Dixiefocuses on Doc Alexander (Frank Grillo), a former special forces agent. As a truce he helped negotiate between cartel members and the governor falls apart, Doc is left unprotected and hunted by the cartel. Without the truce, violence grips the streets, and Doc must fight to defend himself and his innocent young daughter who is described as “the one good thing in his life”. To what extent the daughter will be her own character, as opposed to simply motivation for Doc is unclear.
Related:Frank Grillo & Joe Carnahan Talk ‘Boss Level,’ Sword Fighting With Michelle Yeoh and Their Professional Bromance
Who’s In the Cast of Little Dixie?
Little Dixiestars action movie icon Frank Grillo. Grillo has made a name for himself on projects includingThe Purgefranchise, where he plays Sergeant Leo Barnes, as well asEnd of Watch, andZero Dark Thirty. He also recently played Ferruccio Lamborghini in the filmLamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend. The actor is also known for his role asBrock Rumlow/Crossbones in the MCU’sCaptain Americafilms.
Annabeth Gishcostars, playing the role of Billie Riggs. Viewers may recognize Gish from her ten-episode run onSons of Anarchy, or from her role in the well-receivedMike FlanaganminiseriesMidnight Mass. She has also recently been in two episodes ofBill Hader’sBarry.Mercedes Mason, best known for her work on series includingFear the Walking Dead, The L Word: Generation Q, andThe Rookie,plays Julie Reed.
The role of the corrupt governor is played byEric Dane. Dane is most recognizable as “McSteamy” onGrey’s Anatomy, but he has also worked on a number of other shows, includingEuphoriaandThe Last Ship. The governor’s son, Taylor Jeffs, is played byDash Melrose. Melrose has previously been inLittle Fires Everywhere,Ida Red, andRed Stone.
Peter Greene, perhaps best known as Zed inPulp Fiction, plays Karl Roach. Greene’s long list of film credits includes roles inThe Mask,Body Brokers, andTesla.Sofia Bryantplays Doc’s daughter, the titular “Dixie.” Bryant has an impressive resume, despite her young age, having been in the seriesThe Girl in the Woods,I am Not Okay With This, and an episode ofThe Good Wife. More recently, she was also in the filmNever Better.
Thomas Dekker, who played John Connor inTerminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, plays the role of Clarke Moore inLittle Dixiewhile the role of the cartel’s enforcer Cuco is played byBeau Knapp. Knapp has previously been in films likeIda Red,Crypto,Southpaw, andThe Signal.Maurice Compte, who has previously been inBreaking Bad,Mayans MC, andNarcos, also stars.Danny Boy O’Connorplays Coka. Interestingly,La Coka Nostrais also the name of one of the musical groups O’Connor founded. His other, perhaps better-known group is the iconic Irish rap groupHouse of Pain. When not “jumping around”, O’Connor has also acted in films includingOut of Exile,Ida Red, andLet Me Make You a Martyr.
Who’s Making Little Dixie?
Little Dixie, like Swab’s previous films, is produced by Roxwell Films and its producers include John Swab,Robert Ogden Barnum, andJeremy M. Rosen. Barnum has previously produced Swab’s filmsIda Red, Body Brokers, andCandy Land, as well as a variety of other projects includingMargin Call,On the Line, and9 Bullets. Jeremy Rosen has similarly produced previous films by Swab, among others.Nicole Floresis the line producer withAli JazayeriandViviana Zarragoitiaas executive producers.Little Dixie’s music is byDavid Sardy, cinematography byWill Stone, and Film Editing is byAndrew Aaronson.
Little Dixieis written and directed by John Swab. Swab has worked on multipletense crime dramasbefore, including 2021’sIda Red, about a woman with a terminal illness hoping to pull “one last job”, and 2021’sBody Brokers, which follows recovering addicts who realize their treatment center is actually a cover for a massive fraud operation. Swab’s 2022 filmCandy Landis a slasher set in the world of sex workers who work truck stops. This is far from Swab’s first time directing many of the actors inLittle Dixie. Frank Grillo starred in Swab’s previous filmsBody BrokersandIda Red.Body BrokersandIda Red, much likeLittle Dixie, were produced, directed, and written by Swab, giving him an impressive amount of creative control. Swab has worked with Thomas Dekker and Peter Greene before as well, as both were in Swab’s filmBody Brokerswhile Danny Boy O’Connor, Dash Melrose, and Beau Knapp were all previously in Swab’sIda Red.
