By Any Means: What to know about the new civil rights-era crime thriller.
Paramount Pictures has released the trailer for By Any Means, a historical crime thriller starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg.
Directed by Elegance Bratton and written by Sascha Penn, the film is based on a true story set in 1960s Mississippi. It follows a young Black FBI agent sent to investigate a series of brutal killings targeting civil rights leaders.
The case forces him to work alongside Greg Scarpa, a notorious mafia hitman played by Wahlberg. Their partnership places two very different men inside a dangerous investigation where the boundaries between justice, vengeance, and the law begin to blur.
The film also stars Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, LaChanze, Ethan Embry, David Strathairn, and Giancarlo Esposito.
What Is By Any Means About?
By Any Means takes place during the civil rights era in Mississippi. That was a time where violence against Black leaders and activists created fear across communities fighting for equality.
Abdul-Mateen plays a young Black FBI agent assigned to investigate a wave of killings. The assignment places him in hostile territory, where political pressure, racism, and local power structures complicate the search for justice.
The investigation takes an unexpected turn when he is forced to work with Greg Scarpa. As a mafia hitman, Scarpa operates outside the boundaries of the law, making him a dangerous and unpredictable figure in the case.
The story centers on two men divided by background, purpose, and morality. However, their mission connects them through a shared goal as the investigation becomes increasingly violent.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Stars as the FBI Agent
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II leads the film as the young FBI agent at the center of the investigation.
Abdul-Mateen has built a wide-ranging career across film and television. His major roles include Watchmen, Candyman, Aquaman, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Matrix Resurrections, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Ambulance.
His more recent high-profile work includes Wonder Man and Man on Fire, adding to a run that spans comic book projects, action dramas, and prestige television.
In By Any Means, his character is placed inside a historical investigation shaped by racial violence, institutional failure, and the limits of federal power.
Mark Wahlberg Plays Greg Scarpa
Mark Wahlberg stars as Greg Scarpa, the mafia hitman brought into the investigation.
Scarpa was a real-life organized crime figure connected to the Colombo crime family. In the film, his involvement creates the central conflict between lawful investigation and criminal force.
Wahlberg’s career includes The Departed, The Fighter, Boogie Nights, Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day, Ted, Uncharted, and the Transformers franchise.
His more recent projects include Arthur the King, The Union, Flight Risk, Play Dirty, Balls Up, and The Family Plan 2.
With By Any Means, Wahlberg takes on a real-life crime figure tied to one of the film’s most dangerous storylines.
The Supporting Cast
Nicole Beharie joins the cast after standout roles in Miss Juneteenth, Sleepy Hollow, The Morning Show, and Black Mirror.
Giancarlo Esposito also stars, adding another major name to the ensemble. His credits include Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian, The Boys, Parish, MaXXXine, and Captain America: Brave New World.
David Strathairn brings decades of screen work to the film, with credits including Good Night, and Good Luck, Lincoln, Nomadland, and The Bourne Ultimatum.
The cast also includes Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, LaChanze, and Ethan Embry.
Elegance Bratton Directs By Any Means
Elegance Bratton directs By Any Means following his work on The Inspection.
Bratton’s latest film moves into historical crime thriller territory while focusing on a story shaped by race, power, violence, and justice. The film marks a major studio project for the filmmaker and places him behind a cast led by Abdul-Mateen and Wahlberg.
Writer Sascha Penn wrote the screenplay. Penn’s credits include work connected to crime, drama, and character-driven storytelling, including the Power universe.
By Any Means Brings a True-Story Crime Thriller to Theaters
By Any Means combines a civil rights-era setting with a crime thriller structure. The film follows an FBI investigation, organized crime involvement, and a series of killings that place its characters inside a dangerous historical moment.
The movie’s central conflict comes from the partnership between Abdul-Mateen’s FBI agent and Wahlberg’s Greg Scarpa. One character works within the law, while the other is defined by violence outside of it.
That setup gives By Any Means a clear identity as a true-story thriller about justice, power, and the consequences of a broken system.
By Any Means Movie Details
Release Date: Sept. 4, 2026
Director: Elegance Bratton
Writer: Sascha Penn
Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Wahlberg, Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, LaChanze, Ethan Embry, David Strathairn, and Giancarlo Esposito
Synopsis: Based on a true story, By Any Means follows a young Black FBI agent who is sent into 1960s Mississippi to investigate brutal killings targeting civil rights leaders. Forced to work alongside mafia hitman Greg Scarpa, he enters a deadly hunt where justice and vengeance begin to blur.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
