Two months after being shelved over budget issues, the Eddie Redmayne-starring drama about the Chicago 7 activists has reportedly got a hold on distributors in multiple countries.
- Feb 19, 2019
AceShowbiz - Aaron Sorkin's drama about the Chicago 7 activists is back on after producers secured deals with distributors in multiple countries.
"The Trial of the Chicago 7", which will be directed by the Oscar-winning screenwriter and star Eddie Redmayne and Sacha Baron Cohen, was in pre-production - ahead of a start date this month - when producers pulled the plug over budget issues in December (18).
However, according to Deadline, Sorkin has received a lot of attention from distributors and the project will now begin production early this summer.
Redmayne is still on board to play Students for a Democratic Society co-founder Tom Hayden, an anti-war and civil rights activist in the 1960s who famously married Jane Fonda, in the film, which is based on Brett Morgen's documentary, "Chicago 10: Speak Your Peace", about the 1969 trial of seven defendants charged with conspiracy in connection with the counter-culture protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Baron Cohen will play late Youth International Party co-founder Abbie Hoffman, while Seth Rogen will portray late activist Jerry Rubin, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will tackle prosecutor Richard Schultz. Jonathan Majors will also appear in the film, as political activist Bobby Seale and Alex Sharp will be spiritual lecturer Rennie Davis.
The movie has been in development at Amblin Partners for a decade and at one point company boss Steven Spielberg was planning to direct.
Paul Greengrass and Ben Stiller also considered directing the film before Sorkin signed on in October (18).
The project will be Sorkin's second directorial effort following 2017's "Molly's Game".
