Rights holder / Distributor: Well Go USA Entertainment
„The Deputy“" is an American crime thriller film with elements of action and drama, directed by Matt Sukar according to the scenario of Carlo Bernard, based on the novel by Victor Gischler. The film marks Sukar's feature-length directorial debut and will be released in theaters, as well as digitally and on video-on-demand services, on September 25, 2026.
The story follows young deputy Toby Sawyer, who is given a seemingly simple assignment - to guard a dead body at a crime scene until the medical examiner arrives. Just an hour later, the body mysteriously disappears, and the inexperienced officer finds himself drawn into a situation that quickly goes beyond a simple criminal investigation. In his quest to find the missing body, Toby gradually stumbles upon long-standing corruption, cover-up crimes and dangerous secrets in the small town.
In the lead role Duke Nicholson builds Toby's character as a young and relatively inexperienced law enforcement officer who is suddenly forced to act alone. His character is far from the typical invincible action hero - he makes mistakes, fears for his job, and must find a way to survive in an environment where he cannot trust all of his colleagues. William H. Macy plays Sheriff Kruger, and Stephen Dorff is transformed into Deputy Sheriff Billy Banks.
Particularly important for the development of history is Tiffany Haddish as Deputy Amanda Jackson, one of the few people Toby can count on. The cast also includes Julia Fox, Billie Lourd, Colleen Camp, Daniel Deemer, Devon Ross, Ben Smith-Peterson, Richie Montgomery, Craig Stark, Traylon Newton and Emma McCauslin.
The direction of Matt Sukar makes the disappearance of the body the starting point for a gradually expanding criminal mystery. Instead of the case remaining an isolated incident, Toby's search leads him into a web of crime involving illegal immigrants, hidden money, vengeful families, and police officers who chose to turn a blind eye. Thus, the film gradually changes its scale - from the story of an inexperienced deputy sheriff to the story of a corrupt community.
One of the interesting aspects of "„The Deputy“" is precisely the image of the small town. At first glance, it is a place where everyone knows each other and the law should be easy to enforce. However, it gradually becomes apparent that behind the calm facade lie years of abuse and crime. Toby becomes an unexpected hero because he refuses to accept the advice to simply not ask questions.
The film relies more on suspense and investigation than on non-stop action. This allows the story to build a sense of danger, where each new clue could land Toby in even more trouble. At the same time, the presence of established actors such as William H. Macy, Tiffany Haddish and Stephen Dorff adds necessary weight to the ensemble and contrasts the protagonist's inexperience with the more complex relationships within the local police force.
„The Deputy“" is a dark crime thriller that uses the classic idea of a police officer caught in a corrupt system, but places her in an unusual situation - the disappearance of a corpse that he was supposed to protect. The story gradually reveals deeper secrets and transforms Toby from an ordinary deputy sheriff into a man forced to confront his own colleagues and the entire system around him. For fans of crime stories with mystery, suspense and a dark atmosphere "„The Deputy“" is a curious genre proposal for 2026.
