Paramount Acquires By Any Means for 2026 Release

Paramount Pictures has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the crime thriller "By Any Means," directed by Elegance Bratton and starring Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, with the studio scheduling a theatrical release for September 4, 2026, over Labor Day weekend.

The film, set in Mississippi in 1966 and loosely inspired by true events, centers on a tense alliance between a seasoned mafia hitman and a young Black FBI agent. The two team up to pursue those responsible for the murders of civil rights leaders, unraveling a broader conspiracy that challenges notions of justice, loyalty and survival. Screenwriter Sascha Penn, known for his work on the television series "Power Book III: Raising Kanan," penned the script.

Joining Wahlberg and Abdul-Mateen II in the cast are Nicole Beharie, David Strathairn, Giancarlo Esposito, Josh Lucas and Ethan Embry. Production involves multiple banners: Alex Lebovici for Hammerstone Studios; Bratton and Chester Algernal Gordon for Freedom Principle; Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee for Thunder Road Films; and Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson for Municipal. WME Independent managed the domestic sale, while north.five.six oversees international...