The next film from writer-director Aaron Sorkin may forgo a cinema release and head straight to Netflix, according to a recent report.

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The filmmaker rose to prominence as creator of political drama The West Wing and has since written several acclaimed biographical movies including The Social Network, Steve Jobs and Molly's Game, which he also directed.

Sorkin's upcoming project, which finished filming long before the coronavirus pandemic, is titled The Trial of the Chicago Seven and follows one of the most notorious trials in recent American history.

In 1968, seven anti-Vietnam War activists were charged with conspiracy and inciting to riot after a peaceful protest at that year's Democratic National Convention devolved into a clash with police and the national guard.

Sacha Baron Cohen (The Spy), Jeremy Strong (Succession), John Carroll Lynch (American Horror Story), Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts), Alex Sharp (The Hustle), Noah Robbins (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Daniel Flaherty (The Americans) will play the defendants in the case.

Sorkin has also assembled an impressive supporting cast that includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen) as activist Bobby Seale, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) as prosecutor Richard Schultz and Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) as radical lawyer William Kunstler.

The Trial of the Chicago Seven had initially been intended for a cinema release in October, but Variety now reports that the film could skip straight to Netflix if a deal for the global rights can be reached.

This would add to the library of Sorkin films available on the streaming service, which currently hosts The Social Network, Moneyball, Steve Jobs and The American President.

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Check out our lists of the best TV shows on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or see what else is on with our TV Guide.

Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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