“The Trial of the Chicago 7” Trailer: Whole World is Watching the True Story

Sacha Baron Cohen and Jeremy Strong in
Sacha Baron Cohen and Jeremy Strong in "The Trial of the Chicago 7"

Netflix has released the first trailer for Aaron Sorkin’s awards contender The Trial of the Chicago 7.

The film is based on a true story and it follows the trials of seven people following the peaceful protests that turned violent at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The organizers of the protest, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, and Bobby Seale were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that took place was the most famous in the U.S. history.

Sorkin wrote the screenplay back in 2007 with Steven Spielberg set to direct, but Spielberg dropped out due to the writers’ strike that year. Over the years, Sorkin has adapted the script to draw parallels to what’s happening in the world today.

The trailer gives a look at the courtroom tension and what went on on the steps of the courthouse as demonstrates chant “The whole world is watching.” We also get a glimpse of Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Richard Schultz, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Bobby Seale, Eddie Redmayne as Tom Hayden, and Jeremy Strong as Jerry Rubin.

The cast also includes Kelvin Harrison Jr, Frank Langella, William Hurt, Michael Keaton, and John Carroll Lynch.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 will debut on Netflix in October 16. Check out the trailer below.