Three Netflix movies have been nominated for Best Picture: Roma, Marriage Story, and The Irishman. The Trial of the Chicago 7 will likely be the fourth. The latest feature from writer-director Aaron Sorkin (whose should-have-won-Best Picture masterpiece The Social Network came out 10 years ago next month) tells the true story of the Chicago 7, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors were charged by the federal government with conspiracy and inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention — what followed was one of the most closely-monitored trials in American history. It’s got a stacked cast (including recent Emmy winners Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jeremy Strong), an Academy Award-winning screenwriter in Sorkin, a timely message, and most importantly, looks really good. That’s a strong recipe for Oscar night glory,
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
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.
The Trial of the Chicago 7, which also stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Flaherty, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Noah Robbins, Mark Rylance, and Alex Sharp, premieres on Netflix on October 16.