Paramount Pictures has set a date to return to the 1960s. The studio has acquired the U.S. rights for the historical crime thriller, “By Any Means,” and has scheduled its release for Labor Day weekend, September 4, 2026. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Elegance Bratton directs the feature, which is based on a script by Sascha Penn.

“Set against the backdrop of 1966 Mississippi, and loosely based on true events, By Any Means follows a volatile partnership between a hardened mafia hitman and a young Black FBI agent as they are forced into an uneasy alliance to track down those responsible for the killing of civil rights leaders—uncovering a conspiracy that tests the limits of justice, loyalty, and survival,” reads the logline.

Bratton, known for marine drama The Inspection, said of the film: “This is a story about unlikely alliances forged under impossible circumstances—where justice is not clean, and the truth comes at a cost. I wanted to explore what it means to confront violence not just as an act, but as a system—and what it demands of those caught inside it.”

Nicole Beharie, David Strathairn, Giancarlo Esposito, Josh Lucas and Ethan Embry round out the additional cast.

Bratton produces with Chester Algernal Gordon for their banner Freedom Principle, along with Alex Lebovici for Hammerstone Studios; Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee for Thunder Road Films; and Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson for Municipal. Kevin G. Lee and Jesse Fox appear for Astria Studios as Executive Producers, among others.

WME Independent handled the sale, with north.five.six is handling international sales.