Sean Penn is set to direct a new film about the January 6 Capitol riot, with Bradley Cooper reportedly in talks to star. According to Deadline, the Oscar-winning actor will write and direct the as-yet-untitled drama, described as a “passion project.”
Plot Details
The film will follow a police officer who becomes entangled in the violent insurrection of 2021. Cooper is in negotiations to play the lead role. The project is also referred to as an “unexpected story about friendship” and will be developed in collaboration with the real-life subject, whose identity remains undisclosed.
Penn’s Involvement
Penn attended a January 6 House committee hearing in 2022, stating he was “just another citizen” observing the proceedings. He remarked, “I think we all saw what happened on January 6, and now we’re looking to see if justice comes on the other side of it.” Penn has previously called Donald Trump “an enemy of mankind” and a “narcissist.”
Recent Career Highlights
Penn recently won his second Oscar for his role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s comedy thriller One Battle After Another. He skipped the awards ceremony to be in Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His first Oscar came for playing Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant’s Milk.
Cooper, with 12 Oscar nominations, was last seen in the comedy Is This Thing On?, which he also directed. He will voice a character in Bong Joon-ho’s animated adventure Ally alongside Ayo Edebiri, and is set to write, direct, and star in an Ocean’s Eleven prequel with Margot Robbie.
Related Projects
The January 6 events are also loosely covered in Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming Facebook sequel The Social Reckoning, which explores social media’s role in the insurrection.
