Teddy Bear Award® Winner’s Next Movie to Star Zachary Levi
By Movieguide® Contributor
Amazon and MGM’s new 2025 historical drama, SARAH’S OIL, will star Zachary Levi & Naya Desir-Johnson, with Cyrus Nowrasteh as director.
“Inspired by Tonya Bolden’s book Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America, SARAH’S OIL tells the true story of Sarah Rector, an African American born in Oklahoma Indian Territory in the early 1900s, who believes there is oil beneath the barren land she’s allotted and whose faith is proven right,” Deadline reported Aug. 5. “As greedy oil sharks close in, Sarah turns to her family, friends and some Texas wildcatters to maintain control of her oil-rich land, eventually becoming one of the nation’s first female African American millionaires — at 11 years old.”
Other actors in the already-filmed production are Sonequa Martin-Green, Garret Dillahunt, Bridget Regan, Kenric Green, Adyan Copes, Stelio Savante and Mel Rodriguez.
Nowrasteh, who won a Teddy Bear Award® for directing INFIDEL with Jim Caviezal, directed SARAH’S OIL and wrote the script with his wife, Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh.
The producers are John Shepherd, Cyrus Nowrasteh, Derrick Williams, Kevin Downes for Kingdom Story Company, Andrew Erwin, Daryl Lefever, The Wonder Project’s Jon Erwin and Levi for Wyldwood Productions. Executive producers are Why Not You Productions’ Russell Wilson and Ciara, Wyldwood’s Sherry Kang, Kingdom Story Company’s Tony Young and Katelyn Botsch and Robert Scott Fort.
“SARAH’S OIL is a film that is truly a labor of love, and the talented teams at Kingdom Story Company, The Wonder Project, Wyldwood Productions, and Why Not You Productions have been incredible partners throughout production,” said Julie Rapaport, Head of Film, Production and Development at Amazon MGM Studios. “We’re honored to take part in telling the inspiring true story of Sarah Rector, and we cannot wait for audiences to experience it on the big screen.”
“From the moment I heard about this incredible, largely unknown story, I was captivated and knew I had to bring it to the big screen. Sarah’s journey is one of remarkable resilience,” said Downes. “At Kingdom Story Company, we strive to tell stories that ignite a rush of hope. SARAH’S OIL does just that.”
Why Not You Production’s Russell Wilson, an NFL quarterback, announced the movie last month when he shared a peek of the set in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. He said, “Can’t wait for our movie SARAH’S OIL to come out 2025!”
Last month, Nowrasteh also shared a photo from the set of him and his wife. He said, “Have just returned from filming a passion project of ours in another part of the country on a new film for a major studio…more to come…”
Have just returned from filming a passion project of ours in another part of the country on a new film for a major studio…more to come… pic.twitter.com/jFVHissKQt
— CyrusN (@CyrusNowrasteh) July 26, 2024
SARAH’S OIL hits theaters Dec. 25, 2025.
Movieguide® previously reported on Nowrasteh:
INFIDEL Director Cyrus Nowrasteh credits Movieguide® with influencing his faith journey during his time in Hollywood.
“Coming into the Movieguide® community was eye opening for me and was part of my faith journey to Christianity,” said Nowrasteh, who also directed THE STONING OF SORAYA M. and THE YOUNG MESSIAH. “I think you’ll see it in my movies. I think you’ll see it in my life, and it’s been really something that I just couldn’t have done without Movieguide®.”
Nowrasteh’s INFIDEL is a powerful story about the persecution of Christians in Iran.
“INFIDEL is inspired by a number of different true stories…All of them held in prison in Iran for various charges and proselytizing, trying to spread Christianity, which now is a standard charge for which they’ll round up Christians,” Nowrasteh said in an interview with Movieguide®. “Persecution is random.”
