Sean Penn to Direct Film on Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Police Officer

1 week ago 0

Sean Penn will direct a film about a police officer present at the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, as announced by Warner Bros. on Tuesday. Following his acclaimed role in “One Battle After Another,” Penn will direct the still-untitled movie, based on his own script. Bradley Cooper is currently in discussions to star in the film, although no agreement has been reached yet. Representatives from Penn and Warner Bros. have not disclosed the identity of the protagonist but confirmed he is inspired by a real person.

Penn’s involvement is connected to his attendance at the 2022 House Select Committee hearings investigating the Capitol attack. During the hearings, Penn was seated alongside Metropolitan Police officers Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges who responded to the attacks. Officer Fanone shared a testimony recounting how he was attacked, beaten, and tased while being called a traitor. His ordeal led to a heart attack, and the assault halted only after he mentioned having children. Hodges also detailed his traumatic experience during the hearings.

Penn stated he attended the hearings as a citizen interested in observing the pursuit of justice. The film is reported to be centered around “an unexpected friendship,” with production slated to commence by mid-2027.

The announcement of the movie follows news from the U.S. Justice Department declaring it will not contest Paramount Skydance’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The $111 billion deal, arranged in February, would place Warner Bros. under the leadership of David Ellison, CEO of Paramount. David Ellison and Larry Ellison, his father and Oracle founder, are noted for their ties to President Donald Trump. Over the weekend, David Ellison attended an event at the White House connected to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

“One Battle After Another,” Penn’s last project, was acknowledged as a pertinent political film and secured the best picture award at the March Academy Awards. Penn received his third Oscar for portraying the character Col. Steven J. Lockjaw; instead of attending the ceremony, he chose to visit Ukraine.