'The Trial of the Chicago 7': The Whole World Is Watching In Aaron Sorkin's New Civil Rights Protest Legal Drama

Here’s Hollywood development for you: writer/director Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay for “The Trial of the Chicago 7” back in 2007, Back then, Steven Spielberg had intended to direct the movie, and flirted with doing so for years, almost starting several times before becoming distracted with other projects (Paul Greengrass almost directed it as well). Cut to 13 years later and Sorkin, who in the ensuing years graduated from Oscar-winning screenwriter to director (his directorial debut was “Molly’s Game” in 2017 with Jessica Chastain), ends up directing the project himself. In case you’re unaware, “The Trial Of The Chicago 7,” is the infamous true-life story story of seven anti-Vietnam war protestors on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

The cast is stacked and pretty insane. The ensemble cast includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong, Noah Robbins, Danny Flaherty, Ben Shenkman, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Caitlin Fitzgerald, Alice Kremelberg, John Doman, J.C. MacKenzie, Damien Young, Wayne Duvall and C.J. Wilson.

Here’s the official synopsis:

What was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest—including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale—were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history.

Sacha Baron Cohen plays Abbie Hoffman, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Bobby Seale, Eddie Redmayne stars as Tom Hayden and “Succession” star Jeremy Strong plays Jerry Rubin.

“The Trial Of The Chicago 7,” will premiere in select theaters in September and on Netflix October 16. Watch the first trailer below.