Oscar Shaw is a 2026 American action thriller film directed by R. Ellis Frazier and Justin Nesbitt and written by Don Roff. The film stars Michael Jai White as the title character, a retired police detective who, haunted by the death of his closest friend, embarks on a quest for vengeance and redemption, with Tyrese Gibson and Isaiah Washington in supporting roles.[1][2][3]
The film was released in the United States in a limited theatrical run and simultaneously on premium video on demand on January 9, 2026, by Samuel Goldwyn Films.[1][2][4]
Plot
Retired police detective Oscar Shaw is struggling to rebuild his life after the murder of his closest friend. Still haunted by guilt over failing to protect him while on the force, Oscar tries to keep a low profile away from the streets he once patrolled.[1]
When new information about the killing surfaces, Oscar begins investigating on his own, drawing him back into a violent criminal underworld. As he pursues those responsible, he increasingly takes the law into his own hands, torn between his desire for revenge and his need for personal redemption while attempting to restore a sense of justice to his neighborhood.[1][2]
Samuel Goldwyn Films lists Oscar Shaw as an English-language action film directed by R. Ellis Frazier and Justin Nesbitt from a screenplay by Don Roff.[1] The film is produced by Vince Jolivette, Richie Hill, Jiarui Guo, Ojan Missaghi and David Wachs for the companies Toric Films and Oscar Shaw Movie, with Samuel Goldwyn Films serving as distributor in the United States.[1][2]
According to the film's credits as reported by Rotten Tomatoes, Andrew Robinson served as cinematographer, Aaron Montreal and Steven Wayne Thomas composed the score, Hannah Taylor-Reid was production designer, Kate Roach was costume designer and Kathy Campbell was casting director.[5]
Release
Samuel Goldwyn Films includes Oscar Shaw in its 2026 slate, scheduling the film for release on January 9, 2026.[1] Rotten Tomatoes lists the same date for a limited theatrical release in the United States, with a simultaneous streaming debut.[2] Apple TV lists the title as an American thriller released in 2026 with a runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes.[3]
A 4K digital version of the film was also released on iTunes on January 9, 2026.[6] The film became available to rent on additional digital platforms, including Amazon Video, following its day-and-date theatrical and video-on-demand release.[4]
Reception
As of January 2026, Rotten Tomatoes had recorded two reviews from Tomatometer-approved critics for Oscar Shaw, with fewer than 50 audience ratings listed on the site.[2][7]
Brian Orndorf of Blu-ray.com, writing in a review syndicated on Rotten Tomatoes, gave the film a grade of "C". He praised its concern with contemporary social issues but argued that its sincerity is "stuck in a largely inert mystery" and that its dramatic momentum "never takes command of the picture".[7]
On Metacritic, the film did not yet have an aggregated Metascore, although four user reviews had been posted.[8]
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