Mark Wahlberg appears in a striking transformation in the first trailer for By Any Means, a crime thriller inspired by real events. The film teams him with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a tense story set in 1960s Mississippi, where they join forces to investigate violent crimes linked to the Ku Klux Klan.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the movie follows real-life mob enforcer Gregory Scarpa, played by Wahlberg, and FBI agent Wayne Strider, played by Abdul-Mateen II. The two men come from completely different worlds but are brought together to track down those responsible for the killings of civil rights leaders.
The trailer highlights Wahlberg’s dramatic physical transformation, showing him with longer hair, a side-part style, and tinted aviator glasses as he steps into the role of Scarpa. The change in appearance has drawn attention as one of his most unusual on-screen looks to date.
Speaking about early reactions, Wahlberg said audiences have responded strongly during test screenings. “The response in the theater is really like nothing I've ever seen before,” he said. “This is going to be one of the great revenge thrillers in quite a long time.”
The film focuses on how Scarpa and Strider form an uneasy partnership while investigating deep-rooted racial violence in the American South. Strider represents law enforcement and justice through official systems, while Scarpa is willing to use extreme methods to get results.
Abdul-Mateen II explained the moral contrast between the two leads, saying, “Wayne was fighting for what is morally right,” while noting that Scarpa often represents a more brutal but effective approach when systems fail to deliver justice.
Directed by Elegance Bratton, known for The Inspection, the film explores one of the most turbulent periods in U.S. history, blending crime drama with real historical events. Bratton said he was drawn to the idea of an FBI agent and a mafia enforcer working together in such a volatile era.
The story also includes the real-life figure Vernon Dahmer, a civil rights leader portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. Dahmer was killed in 1966 after a brutal attack by members of the KKK, an event that plays a key role in the film’s narrative.
By Any Means is set to be released on September 4.
Watch the trailer below.
