Mark Wahlberg is nearly unrecognizable in the first By Any Means trailer, an upcoming crime thriller inspired by true events that pairs him with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in an unlikely mission against the Ku Klux Klan.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the film is set in 1960s Mississippi and follows real-life mob enforcer Gregory Scarpa, played by Wahlberg, and FBI agent Wayne Strider, portrayed by Abdul-Mateen II, as they join forces to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders and target members of the KKK.
The newly released trailer showcases a wild transformation for Wahlberg, who sports longer hair, a side-parted hairstyle, and signature tinted aviator glasses while stepping into the role of the notorious mob figure. Speaking about the project with Entertainment Weekly, Wahlberg said audiences have already responded enthusiastically during test screenings.
"The response in the theater is really like nothing I've ever seen before," he said, describing viewers cheering and reacting throughout the film. "This is going to be one of the great revenge thrillers in quite a long time."
The film, set to release on Sept. 4, is based on real events and explores the partnership between two men operating from opposite sides of the law. While Strider represents justice through official channels, Scarpa is willing to achieve results by any means necessary.
Abdul-Mateen II said that conflict is what drew him to the role.
"Wayne was fighting for what is morally right," the actor explained, while noting that Scarpa often represented what was necessary in situations where traditional systems failed.
Director Elegance Bratton, who previously helmed The Inspection, said he was immediately intrigued by the idea of a Black FBI agent and a mafia hitman joining forces during one of the most turbulent periods in American history.
The story also highlights the real-life tragedy of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer, portrayed in the film by Giancarlo Esposito. Dahmer was killed in 1966 after members of the KKK attacked and set fire to his home.
Watch the trailer below.
