Paramount's new thriller, based on a true story, stars Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. They play an unusual duo, and audiences are already raving about the film. At a recent test screening, Wahlberg said the crowd was "screaming and screaming," adding, "It was insane." He believes the film will be "one of the best revenge thrillers in a long time.".
Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II star in "By Any Means Necessary": First Photos
Entertainment Weekly magazine has published exclusive first photos from the set of "By Any Means Necessary," directed by Elegance Bratton. The photos feature Mark Wahlberg transformed into real-life mob hitman Gregory Scarpa, sporting tinted aviator glasses and a side-swept hairstyle. The resemblance is so striking that Scarpa's son, Gregory Scarpa Jr., reportedly mistook Wahlberg for his late father during his first makeup test. "He walked up to Mark and said, 'Hi, Dad,'" recalls director Bratton.
Set in 1960s Mississippi, By Any Means Necessary follows Scarpa and FBI agent Wayne Strider (played by Abdul-Mateen II) as they team up to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders and confront members of the Ku Klux Klan. The plot is based on real events, including the brutal Ku Klux Klan attack on civil rights activist Vernon Dahmer (played by Giancarlo Esposito), whose home was set on fire in 1966 with his family inside.
Both Scarpa Jr. and his sister, Linda Scarpa, served as consultants on the film. Wahlberg says working with them helped him find the humanity beneath his character's brutal exterior. "He lived in this criminal underworld and had to play by its rules, but he was also a father and a husband," Wahlberg says.
Abdul-Mateen II describes his character Wayne as a "good man" trying to maintain his moral compass in a corrupt world. The actor says he was drawn to the internal conflict, such as how far Wayne will go before he's forced to make a difficult choice. He also calls the film's fight scenes "some of the best fight scenes I've ever done.".
The film "By Any Means Necessary" is released in cinemas on September 4.
The original article was published by Devanshi Basu on the website ComingSoon.net .
The article "First Photos Reveal the True Story of the Thriller Starring Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II" first appeared on the Mandatory website.