Sean Penn directs film on Capitol riot officer
Sean Penn is scheduled to direct a Warner Bros. feature film about a police officer who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Warner Bros. announced the project on Tuesday, and Penn will also write the screenplay.
The film is said to be based on a real individual, according to studio officials. No definitive cast has been signed, but Bradley Cooper is reportedly in negotiations to portray the lead officer.
Penn had previously attended the House Select Committee hearings on the Jan. 6 attack in 2022. He sat between Metropolitan Police officers Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges, both of whom responded to the Capitol riot. The officers testified about physical assaults they endured during the hearings.
Penn said he was present as a citizen to observe whether justice would be served. The movie is described as depicting an unexpected friendship, and production is expected to begin in mid‑2027.
The announcement followed the U.S. Justice Department’s decision not to challenge Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, placing the studio under chief executive David Ellison. Ellison, whose family has close ties to former President Donald Trump, recently attended a UFC event held at the White House. Penn’s most recent Oscar award for portraying a racist military officer was obtained while he skipped the ceremony to visit Ukraine.