Directed by Elegance Bratton.
By Any Means was released in theaters in the United States on September 4, 2026.
Distributed by Paramount Pictures.
By Any Means (2026) Movie Review
By Any Means is a gripping historical crime thriller set against the dangerous atmosphere of 1960s Mississippi.
The story follows FBI agent Wayne Strider as he investigates the murder of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer alongside mob hitman Gregory Scarpa.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II gives the film an emotional center as Strider, while Mark Wahlberg brings a tough presence to Scarpa.
The movie combines crime, action and historical drama, with strong performances helping maintain the tension.
Some parts of the storytelling may feel uneven, but the film remains compelling through its subject matter, atmosphere and unusual central partnership.
CR Rating: 7.5/10.
By Any Means Actors
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Wayne Strider
DOB: July 15, 1986.
Bio: American actor born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
He studied architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, earning a degree in architecture, and later earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama.
Before becoming a full-time actor, he worked as a city planner in San Francisco.
Role: Abdul-Mateen II plays Wayne Strider, a fictional FBI agent assigned to investigate the 1966 murder of Mississippi civil-rights leader Vernon Dahmer Sr.
Strider is a fictional composite rather than a direct portrayal of a specific historical FBI agent.
Interesting facts: Abdul-Mateen II’s path to acting was unusual.
He initially trained in architecture at Berkeley and worked as a city planner before pursuing graduate acting training at Yale.
Notable Works: Watchmen, Aquaman, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Us, Candyman, The Matrix Resurrections, Wonder Man.
Mark Wahlberg as Gregory Scarpa
DOB: June 5, 1971.
Bio: American actor, producer and former musician from Boston, Massachusetts.
He first gained fame as Marky Mark, the stage name he used as the frontman of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, before establishing himself as an actor in the 1990s.
Role: Wahlberg portrays Gregory Scarpa Sr., the real-life Colombo crime family caporegime and hitman who secretly worked as an FBI informant.
By Any Means dramatizes Scarpa’s involvement with the FBI during investigations into racial violence and the murder of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer in 1966 Mississippi.
Interesting facts: Wahlberg spent time with members of Scarpa’s family while preparing for the role, including Scarpa’s son, Gregory Scarpa Jr., who served as an adviser on the film.
Notable Works: Boogie Nights, The Departed, The Fighter, Ted, Lone Survivor, Patriots Day, The Italian Job.
Nicole Beharie as Allison Strider
DOB: January 3, 1985.
Bio: American actress born in West Palm Beach, Florida.
She developed an interest in acting as a child and attended the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities before becoming the first student from the school accepted into Juilliard’s drama program.
Role: Beharie plays Allison Strider, the wife of Wayne Strider, the fictional Black FBI agent at the center of By Any Means.
Allison provides an important connection to Wayne’s life away from his investigation into the murder of Vernon Dahmer.
Interesting facts: Beharie received the Robin Williams Scholarship while studying at Juilliard.
She also has a background as a singer-songwriter and performed original songs in the romantic comedy My Last Day Without You.
Notable Works: American Violet, The Express, Sleepy Hollow, Black Mirror, Miss Juneteenth, The Morning Show.
Josh Lucas as Special Agent Everett Rhodes
DOB: June 20, 1971.
Bio: American actor born in Arkansas who spent much of his childhood moving around the southern United States with his family.
He became interested in acting at a young age and eventually built a career spanning film and television.
Role: Lucas plays Special Agent Everett Rhodes, an FBI agent involved in the investigation at the center of By Any Means.
Rhodes represents the federal law-enforcement structure surrounding Wayne Strider’s assignment in 1966 Mississippi.
Interesting facts: Lucas’ interest in filmmaking began when he watched a Canadian film production shooting on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, when he was eight.
Notable Works: Sweet Home Alabama, A Beautiful Mind, American Psycho, Glory Road, Poseidon, Yellowstone, The Lincoln Lawyer.
LisaGay Hamilton as Ms. Rebecca Brewer
DOB: March 25, 1964.
Bio: American actress, director and writer born in Los Angeles, California.
She earned a degree in theatre from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1985 before completing graduate acting training at The Juilliard School.
Role: Hamilton plays Ms. Rebecca Brewer, one of the supporting characters connected to the story’s investigation.
Her role contributes to the film’s broader portrait of the people and institutions surrounding the central case.
Interesting facts: Hamilton made her New York Shakespeare Festival breakthrough playing Isabella opposite Kevin Kline in Measure for Measure.
Notable Works: The Practice, Jackie Brown, The Sum of All Fears, Chance, Men of a Certain Age, The Honeydripper.
LaChanze as Hattie Dahmer
DOB: December 16, 1961.
Bio: LaChanze, born Rhonda LaChanze Sapp, is an American actress, singer, dancer and producer from St. Augustine, Florida.
She studied drama at Morgan State University before transferring to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she studied theatre and dance.
Role: LaChanze portrays Hattie Dahmer, the wife of civil-rights leader and voting-rights activist Vernon Dahmer, played by Giancarlo Esposito.
Hattie is part of the Dahmer family whose story forms an important part of the historical events behind By Any Means.
Interesting facts: LaChanze won the 2006 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for The Color Purple.
Notable Works: The Color Purple, The Help, The Blacklist, The Underground Railroad, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Hercules.
Ethan Embry as Sam Bowers
DOB: June 13, 1978.
Bio: American actor born in Huntington Beach, California.
He began acting as a child and appeared in more than 100 television and radio commercials before establishing himself in film.
His early film credits included Dutch, All I Want for Christmas and A Far Off Place.
Role: Embry plays Sam Bowers, a Mississippi-based figure connected to the film’s story of racial violence and the investigation into attacks against civil-rights activists.
Bowers is part of the wider group of characters surrounding the federal investigation led by FBI agent Wayne Strider.
Interesting facts: Embry began his professional career at a young age, appearing in more than 100 television and radio commercials before moving into feature films.
Notable Works: Empire Records, Cape Fear, That Thing You Do!, Vegas Vacation, Vacancy, Sweet Home Alabama, Brotherhood.
Giancarlo Esposito as Vernon Dahmer
DOB: April 26, 1958.
Bio: American actor and director born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to an Italian father from Naples and an African-American mother from Alabama.
His family settled in Manhattan when he was six, and he began performing professionally as a child, making his Broadway debut at age eight in Maggie Flynn in 1966.
Role: Esposito portrays Vernon Dahmer, the real-life Mississippi civil-rights leader and president of the Forrest County chapter of the NAACP.
Dahmer was a prominent voting-rights activist who helped Black residents register to vote.
Interesting facts: Esposito made his Broadway debut at only eight years old, beginning a career that would eventually span more than five decades.
Notable Works: Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Do the Right Thing, The Usual Suspects, Once Upon a Time, The Mandalorian, The Boys.
David Strathairn as Special Agent Roy K. Moore
DOB: January 26, 1949.
Bio: American actor known for his work across film, television and theatre.
Born in San Francisco, California, he attended Williams College, where he developed a strong interest in theatre and became friends with fellow student John Sayles.
Role: Strathairn plays Special Agent Roy K. Moore, a senior FBI figure involved in the investigation.
His character helps establish the federal authority surrounding the case and the institutional pressures facing agents working in Mississippi.
Interesting facts: Strathairn became closely associated with director John Sayles after meeting him at Williams College.
Notable Works: Good Night, and Good Luck, Lincoln, Nomadland, The Bourne Legacy, Eight Men Out, The Black Stallion.
Biko Eisen-Martin as Special Agent Archie Crawford
DOB: July 5, 1982.
Bio: American actor, poet and educator born and raised in San Francisco.
He studied Africana studies at Brown University and earned a master’s degree in teaching before later completing an MFA at the National Theatre Conservatory.
Role: Eisen-Martin plays Special Agent Archie Crawford, another FBI agent connected to the investigation.
His character adds to the federal team surrounding Wayne Strider and reflects the broader law-enforcement operation.
Interesting facts: Eisen-Martin developed an interest in poetry while growing up and performed nationally with Youth Speaks as a young poet, including at the Youth Against War conference in Bosnia.
Notable Works: The Chi, Blue Bloods, Uppercut, Modern Love, Dietland.
More Actors
• Will Brittain as Billy Roy Pitts.
• DeVere Jehl as Edgar Ray Killen.
• Jody Thompson as Lawrence Byrd.
• Zach Lane as Clive Styles.
FAQ – By Any Means (2026) Movie
What is By Any Means about?
By Any Means follows a young Black FBI agent who is sent to 1960s Mississippi to investigate killings targeting civil rights leaders. He is forced to work with Mafia hitman Greg Scarpa during the investigation.
Is By Any Means based on a true story?
Yes. The movie is inspired by true events involving the investigation of violence against civil rights leaders in Mississippi.
What genre is By Any Means?
By Any Means is a crime drama, historical thriller and mystery film.
How long is By Any Means?
The movie has a runtime of approximately 1 hour and 47 minutes.
Where can I watch By Any Means?
By Any Means was released theatrically by Paramount Pictures. It is also listed on Prime Video, where digital viewing availability varies by market.
Conclusion
By Any Means is a tense historical crime thriller with strong performances, compelling characters and an intense 1960s setting.
It is a solid choice for viewers who enjoy crime and historical dramas.