‘The Weight’ Starring Ethan Hawke & Russell Crowe Lands September Release

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The highly anticipated historical action thriller, The Weight, will be released soon. Premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, the film follows a complex convict, played by an Academy Award nominee, who is given a nearly impossible task. He must fight for survival against both the elements and a formidable opponent, an Academy Award winner, all in the hope of reuniting with his daughter. The film delivers a powerful and intense story of resilience.

Padraic McKinley makes his directorial debut with The Weight. He’s previously directed episodes of the MMA series Kingdom starring Frank Grillo, and worked as an editor on action films like Homefront and Wild Card with Jason Statham. The film itself is written by Matthew Chapman (Runaway Jury) and Shelby Gaines (Wildcat) and stars Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe, alongside Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, and Avi Nash.


Fields Entertainment

Following strong reviews – earning a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes – the acclaimed film The Weight will now be shown in theaters across North America. Vertical Entertainment has acquired the rights and announced a release date of September 18, 2026, as reported by Deadline.

Set in Oregon during the Great Depression in 1933, The Weight tells the story of Samuel Murphy (Ethan Hawke) who struggles to get his daughter, Penny, back after being released from a labor camp following his wife’s death. While working under the harsh supervision of Clancy (Russell Crowe), Murphy gets caught up in a dangerous scheme to smuggle gold, but faces threats not only from the wild landscape but also from those he thought he could trust.

Following the announcement of the film’s release, Padraic McKinley shared that The Weight was made possible by a fantastic team, including stars Ethan and Russell, as well as Fields Entertainment, augenschein, Under the Influence, and Construction Films. He expressed his joy that the film resonated with audiences at the Sundance and Berlinale festivals and shared his enthusiasm about partnering with Vertical to bring this classic cinematic experience to theaters in September.


Fields Entertainment

Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey praised the film The Weight, highlighting strong performances from Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe. He described it as a clever, character-focused thriller that feels both reminiscent of classic 1970s films and modern for today’s viewers. Jarowey expressed excitement about collaborating again with augenschein Filmproduktion and the team behind the film – Padraic, Simon, Ethan, Nathan, and Ryan – to bring this compelling story to the cinema.

There’s a lot of buzz building around the new film, The Weight, especially now that it’s been officially revealed. The prospect of seeing Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe star together in a historical action thriller is already making it a highly anticipated movie. This positive reaction is echoed in early reviews, including a near-perfect 4 out of 5 star rating from MovieWeb’s Zachey Lee, who says…




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This film is remarkably focused and well-made, drawing you in completely. It relies on the actors’ subtle, natural performances to create characters you genuinely connect with.

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2026-03-20 14:48