Frontier Crucible: Everything We Know So Far

Having stepped back from acting over the last three years amid a slurry of worrying accusations, Armie Hammer is set to make his return to Hollywood with a brand new western flick. Here’s everything we know so far about Frontier Crucible.

Frontier Crucible: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

From Paramount’s Yellowstone series to Netflix’s brand new Territory, The Power of the Dog (2021) to Kevin Costner’s Horizon saga, it seems our recent fascination (neo)westerns is here to stay. Next on the bill is Frontier Crucible, which is set to start filming in Arizona in November. Directed by Travis Mills, it’ll be based on a 1961 novel – here’s what to expect.

What Is Frontier Crucible About?

Set in 1870s Arizona, Frontier Crucible is described as ‘Reservoir Dogs meets Bone Tomahawk’. It’ll centre on a former soldier (Myles Clohessy) whose tragic past is thrown into an uneasy alliance with three outlaws: Thomas Jane’s character, a beautiful woman (Mary Stickle) and her wounded husband (Eli Brown). Together, they grapple to survive the elements and hostile western frontier.

What Is It Based On?

Frontier Crucible is based on Harry Whittington’s 1961 western novel, Desert Stake-Out. The novel chronicles Blade Merrick’s run from the Apaches, who had left him with a jagged scar from his neck down to his waist. Struggling to evade his enemies, he is forced to face them with no one at his side but three cut-throats who murdered his brother. Though it is no longer in print, second hand copies can be found online.

The Cast

• Armie Hammer
• Thomas Jane
• Myles Clohessy
• Eli Brown
• Eddie Spears
• Zane Holtz
• Jonah Kagen
• Mary Stickley

Why Is Armie Hammer Controversial?

Frontier Crucible will signal Armie Hammer’s return to the movie-sphere after a three-year hiatus. Why the career break? Back in 2021, Hammer’s A-list career was derailed when multiple women came forward with claims of abuse. The star had featured in the likes of Call Me By Your Name, Rebecca and Death on the Nile before the allegations were made, which he denied. Regardless, he was forced to abandon several projects, and was dropped by his talent agency and publicist amid his legal battles. Around the same time, social media was alight with theories Hammer is also a cannibal, which he has recently described as ‘hilarious’.

The LAPD and LA County District Attorney investigated but ultimately dropped Hammer’s case, citing insufficient evidence. But it didn’t end there: in 2022, Hammer and his family were subject to a docuseries, House of Hammer, which delved into the allegations against Hammer, as well as his family’s oil legacy. While he denies allegations of abuse, Hammer did come out and acknowledge his behaviour in early 2023, admitting he is ‘an asshole,’ ‘was selfish’ and ‘used people to make [him] feel better’ after being sexually abused by his youth pastor for nearly a year when he was 13. He described how the latter experience led to his interest in BDSM, transforming his feelings of ‘powerless[ness]’ into ‘[having] control in the situation, sexually’. He also shared, while he contemplated suicide in the wake of the 2021 allegations, he is now ‘a healthier, happier, more balanced person’.

Flash forward to today and Hammer still doesn’t have media representation. He shared in 2023 that he is both ‘broke’ and ‘massively in debt’. During his time off from acting, he was spotted selling time shares in the Cayman Islands, and received a loan from his family to help cover his legal fees. In August 2024, he shared on Instagram that he had to sell his truck as he cannot afford the fuel.

But now Hammer seems to be turning his life around. Earlier this week, he launched a podcast called Armie HammerTime. Likewise, he teased his return to Hollywood yesterday with a few snaps in a cowboy hat and a photo of the Frontier Crucible script posted on Instagram with the caption ‘back in the saddle’. The comment section has been flooded with supportive and congratulatory messages, though his previous Instagram posts also have many critical comments.

Release Date

No news just yet, but we anticipate Frontier Crucible will be released in 2026.