By James White | Posted 28 Oct 2018

Long a goal of Steven Spielberg (there's news on more than one project he's producing moving forward today), The Trial Of The Chicago 7 has tried to get off the ground before, but seemed doomed to development hell. Now, though, Aaron Sorkin is attached to direct and Sacha Baron Cohen is once again in talks to star.

The film is based on Brett Morgan's documentary Chicago 10, which chronicles the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The trial transfixed the nation and sparked a conversation about mayhem intended to undermine the US government.

Sorkin originally wrote the script when Spielberg himself was looking to direct back in 2007, with Will Smith mentioned as a likely star and Baron Cohen's name also floated. A writer's strike meant the director was stymied and his schedule filled up, leaving Chicago 7 on the development back burner. And Spielberg's efforts to produce it since then with other directors (Paul Greengrass and Ben Stiller among them) have come to naught.

Fast-forward to this year and Sorkin, who made Molly's Game (can't wait for the star issue to be brought up on the Empire Podcast between our James D and Helen), is in line to also direct. Whether Baron Cohen jumps aboard remains to be seen, but he was very interested in playing activist Abbie Hoffman and the chance to work with both Spielberg and Sorkin is no doubt compelling. Hopefully this is one that will finally leave limbo...

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