3-time Oscar winner Sean Penn has written and is set to direct a friendship drama surrounding the events of the January 6th Capitol riots. Bradley Cooper is in talks to star in the film. The film is targeting mid-2027 to begin production. Penn will also be producing the film under his Projected Picture Works banner, which also includes John Ira Palmer and John Wildermuth. Warner Bros. is currently negotiating a deal to secure the rights to the film. Reportedly, the film will not be focused on the actual events of January 6th but rather use them as a backdrop for a friendship drama involving a police officer.
Warner Bros. is likely interested in the film in large part due to Sean Penn and his presence in last year’s Best Picture winner, One Battle After Another. Penn won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Colonel Steven Lockjaw. He was notably not present at the ceremony to accept his award, which sparked a bit of controversy. When asked about his absence, Penn stated that he was just uncomfortable at awards shows. He said,
Knowing that I wasn’t going to do that anymore, I did one before that this year. I went to the Golden Globes; I’d never been to that before. And that’s where I decided, ‘I can’t do this.’ [The Oscars] always represented social discomfort to me.
Sean Penn’s two other Oscars come from Mystic River and Milk. Penn has not directed a film since Into the Wild back in 2007. He has mostly focused on acting since then, and it is unclear if he will also act in the film. Stay tuned for more updates.
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