Does ‘By Any Means’ Have a Post-Credits Scene? Here’s What We Know Ahead of Mark Wahlberg’s Big Release

Mark Wahlberg fans searching for spoilers on ‘By Any Means‘ are already asking the one question that follows every big theatrical release these days, whether there is a scene worth sticking around for once the credits start rolling. With the film’s Paramount Pictures release landing on Labor Day weekend, that curiosity has only grown louder.

‘By Any Means’ hits US theaters on September 4, 2026, starring Mark Wahlberg, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Beharie, and Josh Lucas. As of this writing, no studio materials, trailers, or advance screening reports have confirmed the presence of a post credits scene, so audiences heading into opening weekend are largely going in blind on that front.

What ‘By Any Means’ Is Actually About

The film is directed by Elegance Bratton and follows a notorious mafia hitman and a young Black FBI agent who team up to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders in 1966 Mississippi. The story is drawn from real events, and Wahlberg plays Gregory Scarpa, described in promotional material as one of the most ruthless mobsters in history, while Abdul-Mateen II plays FBI agent Wayne Strider.

Rotten Tomatoes’ official synopsis describes it as a deadly hunt where justice and vengeance begin to blur, noting that when the system is broken, two men divided by everything agree on one thing, the law has limits and they don’t. That framing suggests a morally messy ending rather than a tidy bow, which is exactly the kind of tone that sometimes gets undercut or complicated by a stinger scene.

The film was written by Sascha Penn and produced by Wahlberg himself alongside Stephen Levinson, Alex Lebovici, Chester Algernal Gordon, Basil Iwanyk, and Erica Lee, with Paramount Pictures handling distribution. That level of hands on involvement from Wahlberg as both star and producer means whatever closing beats made the final cut were choices he had a direct hand in shaping.

Test Screening Buzz Around the Film’s Ending

The film recently had a test screening, and Wahlberg’s portrayal of real life mafia hitman Gregory Scarpa apparently left the audience screaming and yelling. Wahlberg described the reaction himself in an interview, saying it was crazy and that the response in the theater was like nothing he’d ever seen before.

He also called the movie a great watch that provides so much wish fulfillment, adding that this is going to be one of the great revenge thrillers in quite a long time. That kind of language, wish fulfillment paired with a revenge thriller label, often points toward a climactic finale that leaves audiences fully satisfied without needing a bonus scene to tack something extra on.

Social reaction to the trailer rollout has echoed that same energy. When Wahlberg posted the trailer online, fans responded with enthusiasm, with one commenter calling him the most consistent man in show business and another simply writing that it would be great like all the other ones.

None of that chatter, however, has touched on whether ‘By Any Means’ specifically includes a scene after the credits. Test screening recaps tend to focus on overall audience temperature rather than granular structural details like stingers, so this remains an open question until people actually walk out of theaters.

The True Story Behind ‘By Any Means’ Aand Why It Matters for the Ending

Part of what makes the lack of confirmed post credits information notable is just how grounded this project is in real history. Scarpa’s real life children, Gregory and Linda, served as advisors on the film, and Wahlberg said spending time with them helped humanize his character.

Wahlberg explained that Scarpa lived in the underworld and had to play by those rules, but he was still a father and a husband, which made portraying him feel more grounded. A film this rooted in factual consultation with a real family typically closes on a note tied to historical resolution rather than a franchise style teaser, which lowers the likelihood of anything resembling a Marvel style tag scene.

The project was first reported back in October 2024, when Wahlberg and Sterling K. Brown were initially attached before the cast evolved into its current lineup. That long development window, paired with the film’s Labor Day positioning as what one outlet called one of the more notable adult dramas hitting theaters this fall, suggests Paramount is treating this as a self contained awards adjacent drama rather than the start of a larger cinematic universe that would need a teaser to set up a sequel.

Should You Stay Through the Credits For ‘By Any Means’?

Given everything gathered so far, there is currently no confirmed evidence pointing toward a traditional post credits scene in ‘By Any Means.’ The film’s marketing has leaned entirely on its true crime pedigree, its 1966 Mississippi setting, and Wahlberg’s transformation into Scarpa rather than any hint of a bonus scene or franchise setup.

That said, plenty of grounded dramas still include brief archival footage, title cards about the real life aftermath, or dedication messages that roll during or after the credits, especially for films based on true events. Whether ‘By Any Means’ follows that path or closes the book entirely once the story wraps will only be clear once audiences actually sit through opening weekend screenings.

For now, moviegoers heading to see Wahlberg and Abdul-Mateen II face off against a brutal chapter of American history should plan on watching the full runtime just in case, since films built on true stories often save one last gut punch for the very end. What do you think Wahlberg and Bratton might be holding back until the credits start to roll, and will you be sticking around in your seat to find out?