By Any Means Arrives on Digital Ahead of December Disc Release

Paramount Pictures has made the historical crime thriller By Any Means available on digital platforms and announced a December 15, 2026, release date for its physical home entertainment editions. Directed by Elegance Bratton, the film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as an FBI agent investigating a civil rights leader's murder in Mississippi alongside Mark Wahlberg as a real-life Mafia hitman.

According to Screen-Connections, the planned physical release is listed as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack, alongside a DVD edition. However, Paramount's initial announcement reportedly mentioned Blu-ray and DVD without confirming the 4K format, leaving some uncertainty about the final physical-release lineup.

Screen-Connections said preorder listings and promotional artwork identified the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combination, suggesting the omission in the studio's announcement could have been an error. The outlet had contacted Paramount for clarification but had not received definitive confirmation when its report was published on October 20, 2026.

The film originally premiered on September 4, 2026, according to The Miami Hurricane, which reviewed the production as a historical crime drama based on the 1966 murder investigation of Vernon Dahmer, a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Set in Mississippi during President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration, the story explores an investigation complicated by fear of retaliation. The film depicts an environment in which the Ku Klux Klan remained active and witnesses were reluctant to provide information to federal investigators.

Abdul-Mateen portrays Wayne Strider, a fictional young Black FBI agent assigned to the case. Wahlberg plays Greg Scarpa, a real-life Mafia hitman who also served as an FBI informant and becomes Strider's partner in the investigation.

The pairing places Strider's commitment to professional procedures against Scarpa's violent methods and unconventional conduct. Their uneasy working relationship drives the investigation as they pursue those responsible for Dahmer's killing.

In its October 20 review, The Miami Hurricane awarded the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, highlighting its visual presentation, investigation-driven plot and character development. The review also praised the pacing and the film's focus on an original historical story rather than an existing franchise or sequel.

Bratton directed the 107-minute film from a screenplay by Sascha Penn. Bratton previously directed The Inspection, released in 2022, while the By Any Means cast also includes Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, LaChanze, Ethan Embry, David Strathairn and Giancarlo Esposito.

Paramount Pictures distributes the film, which carries an R rating in the United States for violence, bloody images and pervasive language. The studio's announced physical-release date remains December 15, 2026, with clarification about the 4K Ultra HD format still pending in the Screen-Connections report.