Motor City hits theaters in under two weeks: Alan Ritchson goes dark

Alan Ritchson’s Motor City reaches theaters on July 24, 2026. It’s an R-rated action thriller, darker and more stylized than the usual studio fare, set in 1970s Detroit, and with the release now less than two weeks out, it stands out as one of the month’s more notable arrivals.

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Ritchson stars as John Miller, a Detroit autoworker who’s framed by a local gangster, sent to prison, and torn away from his girlfriend. When he gets out, he comes back looking for violent revenge. Ben Foster and Shailene Woodley co-star.

Director Potsy Ponciroli reportedly keeps dialogue to a minimum, leaning instead on visual storytelling, atmosphere, and stylized action to carry the film. Jack White curated the soundtrack, which fits the setting and tone pretty well on paper.

Content-wise, expect strong bloody violence, grisly images, drug content, sexuality and nudity, plus plenty of language. Ritchson has also said the third act turns especially brutal.

Motor City premiered at Venice in August 2025 and later screened at TIFF, where the response was generally positive. It currently holds a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

If you know Ritchson from Reacher and want to see him in something that feels more cinematic than a standard shoot-’em-up, this looks like one to keep an eye on. It also arrives at a moment when he’s clearly testing his action-star pull beyond streaming TV, after slimming down for the role and while lining up projects like Runner, The Man with the Bag, a green-lit War Machine sequel, and more Fast & Furious.

You can catch Motor City in theaters starting July 24.