The Aaron Sorkin-directed drama, The Trial Of The Chicago 7, is slated for a wide theatrical release on October 2, 2020. The pic, which will get a limited release on September 25, 2020, is currently in production with plans to shoot in Chicago and New Jersey. In addition, Michael Keaton has officially signed to join the cast along with William Hurt (Goliath, Avengers) and J.C. MacKenzie (The Irishman, The Departed).
Deadline previously reported that the Oscar-winning actor was being eyed to join the ensemble cast which includes Frank Langella, Mark Rylance, Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong, Alex Sharp, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
From Paramount Pictures, Cross Creek and DreamWorks Pictures, the film is based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the countercultural protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The trial transfixed the nation and sparked a conversation intended to undermine the U.S. government.
Keaton will play Ramsey Clark, while Hurt is John Mitchell.
Watch on Deadline
Marc Platt, Tyler Thompson, Stuart Besser, and Matt Jackson are producing with executive producers Marc Butan, Anthony Katagas, Laurie MacDonald, Walter Parkes, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Maurice Fadida and Shivani Rawat.
Keaton is repped by ICM and Ziffren Law.
?Michael Keaton never won a Oscar… Wtf you talking about?? Lol
Michael Keaton is an excellent actor, but not an Oscar winner. Fact checking is important.
Wow! Something from my generation that I witnessed first hand now being brought to life by these amazing artists!
Weird movie to make with minimal upside beyond, what, WGA awards? Paramount is a sleeping giant sitting on a vast number of incredible library properties and this acquisition is the best they can do? Where is Paramount’s Joker, A Star is Born, Crazy Rich Asians?
They have IP on the same level as Warner Bros or Universal but you wouldn’t know it by what gets greenlit. This is why Hasbro is going to go off on their own and start a studio.
People in LA care about Sorkin movies but the rest of America is dying for Paramount to get their shit together when it comes to Transformers, Star Trek, GI Joe–they have this long list of franchises they aren’t doing anything with!