By Any Means (2026)
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A young Black FBI agent must team up with a ruthless New York City mafia hitman to investigate the murder of civil rights leaders in 1966 Mississippi.
The story
In 1964, three Mississippi civil rights activists disappear, prompting federal supervisor Roy K. Moore to demand answers. To find them, Moore enlists the help of Greg Scarpa, a ruthless Brooklyn mob enforcer who uses physical coercion to extract information. By 1966, the investigation continues as a young Black FBI agent, Wayne Strider, is assigned to work alongside Scarpa. Strider believes in the sanctity of legal procedures, while Scarpa operates outside the law to achieve results. Together, the unlikely pair must navigate the dangerous landscape of rural Mississippi to identify and confront the local Ku Klux Klan operatives responsible for the violence against the local community.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1964, three Mississippi civil rights activists disappear, leading federal supervisor Roy K. Moore to hire Brooklyn mob enforcer Greg Scarpa to find them. Scarpa uses brutal tactics to locate the bodies of the victims. In 1966, after activist Vernon Dahmer is killed by a Ku Klux Klan attack, a young Black FBI agent, Wayne Strider, is assigned to the case. Strider is forced to partner with Scarpa, who uses intimidation to extract names of Klan members. While Strider is horrified by Scarpa's disregard for legal boundaries, the tactics successfully identify the perpetrators. Scarpa eventually forces a confession from Sam Bowers, leading to the arrest of several Klan members. Strider is left questioning the morality of the federal government's methods, while the local community honors Dahmer's legacy. Scarpa returns to New York with his payment, and Strider realizes that justice in this environment often requires compromising legal ideals.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 107
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Elegance Bratton
- Writers
- Sascha Penn · writer
- Cast and characters
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II · Special FBI Agent Wayne Strider; Mark Wahlberg · Gregory Scarpa; Nicole Beharie · Allison Strider; Josh Lucas · Special Agent Everett Rhodes; David Strathairn · Special Agent Roy K. Moore; Giancarlo Esposito · Vernon Dahmer; Ethan Embry · Sam Bowers; LisaGay Hamilton · Ms. Rebecca Brewer
- Genres
- crime; thriller; historical; biographical
- Themes
- Civil Rights; Justice vs. Law; Systemic Prejudice; Coercion
- Tone and mood
- tense; gritty
- Premise and plot tags
- Buddy Film; Historical Drama; Crime Thriller
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2018 Black List script CI-34
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics.
- Reported review scores
- CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II replaced Sterling K. Brown in the cast.; The film was shot in Atlanta and Mississippi.; The production was based on a Black List script.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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