The Weight

When Samuel is torn from his daughter and sent to a brutal prison, Warden Clancy offers him a high-stakes proposition: smuggle gold out of a remote mine with a dangerous crew of prisoners and he’ll win his freedom.

The Weight (2026) Full Movie – Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Story & Details

The Weight (2026) is a historical action thriller starring Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe. Set in 1933 Oregon, the film follows a prisoner who must smuggle gold through dangerous wilderness to regain his freedom and reunite with his daughter.

The Weight (2026) is a historical action thriller directed by Padraic McKinley and starring Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe and Julia Jones. Set in Oregon during the Great Depression in 1933, the film follows Samuel Murphy, a father who is separated from his daughter and sent to a brutal labor camp.

Samuel Murphy is desperate to regain custody of his daughter Penny. While imprisoned, he receives a dangerous offer from Warden Clancy. In exchange for a chance at early release and the opportunity to return to his daughter, Samuel must join a group of prisoners on a dangerous mission to transport a fortune in gold through remote and unforgiving wilderness.

The mission quickly becomes more complicated as the prisoners face difficult terrain, violence, mistrust and the constant possibility of betrayal. Carrying the gold is only part of the challenge; each member of the group has their own motivations and reasons for taking the enormous risk.

As the journey progresses, Samuel must make increasingly difficult choices while trying to survive and keep his promise to return to his daughter. The physical dangers of the wilderness are matched by the growing tensions within the group.

With its 1930s setting, survival elements, action sequences and emotional father-daughter storyline, The Weight combines historical drama with a tense wilderness thriller.

Movie Information

Movie: The Weight
Year: 2026
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Release Date: September 18, 2026 (United States)
Runtime: Approximately 1 hour 55 minutes
Language: English
Director: Padraic McKinley
Writers: Matthew Booi, Shelby Gaines, Matthew Chapman, Leo Scherman
Main Cast: Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, Avi Nash, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen, Sam Hazeldine
Country: United States / Germany / Canada
TMDB ID: 1433583
IMDb ID: tt10794054

The production company lists the film as a 115-minute action/thriller, while IMDb lists the runtime as 113–115 minutes across its current entries.

Main Cast

Ethan Hawke – Samuel Murphy
Russell Crowe – Warden Clancy
Julia Jones – Anna
Austin Amelio – Rankin
Avi Nash – Singh
Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen – Olson
Sam Hazeldine – Amis
Avy Berry – Penny Murphy

Story

Set in Oregon in 1933, The Weight follows Samuel Murphy, a widower who has been separated from his daughter and imprisoned in a labor camp. Warden Clancy offers him a possible path to freedom: take part in a dangerous gold-smuggling expedition through the wilderness.

Samuel joins a crew of prisoners tasked with transporting gold across dangerous territory. The journey exposes the group to natural hazards, violence and internal conflict. As distrust grows among the prisoners, Samuel must determine who he can rely on while continuing to fight for the chance to reunite with his daughter.

The story combines survival, crime, action and family drama against the backdrop of the Great Depression.

Director

Padraic McKinley directed The Weight. The film was written by Matthew Booi, Shelby Gaines and Matthew Chapman, with story credits also involving Leo Scherman.

Release

The Weight premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival before receiving its U.S. theatrical release on September 18, 2026, distributed by Vertical.

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