Sean Penn, 65, announced he will direct and write a new film focused on the January 6, 2021 US Capitol riot. The story centers on a police officer's experience during the riot, inspired by a real person whose identity remains confidential [1, 2, 3, 4].
Bradley Cooper, who has received 12 Oscar nominations, is in talks to star as the lead officer involved in the events [1, 2, 3, 4]. Penn, himself a three-time Oscar winner, described the film as portraying an unexpected friendship born out of the chaos and violence at the Capitol [1, 4]. "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 said [1].
Warner Bros. will produce the film, with principal photography expected to begin in 2027 [2, 3, 4]. Warner Bros. is currently close to being acquired by Paramount Skydance, led by CEO David Ellison, son of Trump ally Larry Ellison [2, 3, 4].
Penn’s interest in the events deepened after he attended the January 6 House committee hearing in 2022, sitting alongside officers such as Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges who responded to the riot [1, 3, 4]. Cooper is simultaneously working on other directing and acting projects [1, 3].
Donald Trump continues to deny the 2020 election results and has called many involved in the riot "patriots," with some participants receiving pardons for assaulting police [2, 3, 4].
Filming is scheduled to start next year, aiming to bring a unique perspective on the Capitol attack through the lens of law enforcement and personal connection [2, 4].
