Netflix has released a new full trailer for The Trial of the Chicago 7. Directed by Academy and Emmy Award Winner Aaron Sorkin, the film is based on the true story of a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. Such a film is only deserving of an all-star cast to tell this story of a significant historical moment. It stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Strong, and more.
There is not much to break down about the trailer other than the fact that it has some new footage that is heavy on the Sorkin styling. The trial proceedings will surely grab our attention as it will have a lot to offer in terms of electrifying exchanges and lofty speeches. But more importantly, the film is timely. Almost as if history would repeat itself. And it is. As you can hear, the protesters chant, “the whole world is watching.”
Indeed. We see police brutality, racial injustice, shades of fascism, and oppression happening again in 2020. And we are seeing how those are protesting against those ideals. So The Trial of the Chicago 7 is more than relevant. It’s a reminder of what we must do in the face of the aforementioned acts.
Here is the official plot synopsis for The Trial of the Chicago 7:
What was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest—including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale—were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history.
This trailer alone already hints that Netflix will make sure that people watch the film during the awards campaign. Not only does it have Academy and Emmy Award winner Aaron Sorkin writing and directing, but it also features a powerful cast, some of whom are Academy and Emmy Award winners in their own right.
The film also stars ohn Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong, Noah Robbins, Danny Flaherty, Ben Shenkman, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Caitlin Fitzgerald, Alice Kremelberg, John Doman, J.C. MacKenzie, Damien Young, Wayne Duvall, C.J. Wilson.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is set to open in limited theaters later in April, and will make its streaming debut on October 16, 2020.
