Netflix has set a Oct. 16 streaming date for Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, its $56M pickup from Paramount, in what looks to be the first of its 2020-21 awards season contenders.
Paramount, which first had the movie, was eyeing a fall platform release, initially with a limited debut of Sept. 25, then an expansion on Oct. 9 and a full wide release of Oct. 16 — hence Netflix’s drop date keeps with what was originally planned for theatrical prior to this year’s U.S. presidential election.
The pic follows protest organizers Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, what went from a peaceful protest to a violent clash with the National Guard. The foursome were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history.
Due to exhibition’s shutdown during COVID-19, Paramount sold the feature to Netflix.
The cast includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella,John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong, Noah Robbins, Danny Flahery, Ben Skenkman, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Caitlin Fitzgerald, Alice Kremelberg, John Doman, J.C. MacKenzie, Damien Young, Wayne Duvall, and C.J. Wilson.
As we previously reported, Cross Creek covered the previous financial commitments on the film. CAA Media Finance brokered the deal.
Marc Platt, Stuart Besser, Matt Jackson and Tyler Thompson are producers. Executive producers are Laurie MacDonald, Walter Parkes, Marc Butan, Anthony Katagas, James Rodenhouse, Shivani Rawat, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Nia Vazirani.