Sean Penn is planning a biopic about a policeman caught up in the January 6 insurrection, with Bradley Cooper set to play the lead role, according to Rolling Stone.
The script, still untitled, frames itself as "an unexpected story about friendship." Given Penn's documented opposition to Donald Trump—he has previously called the former president "an enemy of mankind"—the film is expected to be a pointed political statement wrapped in dramatic storytelling.
The project is connected to Warner Bros., which is currently in acquisition talks with Paramount. Paramount President David Ellison hosted a lavish dinner for the Trumps in April and attended the president's birthday UFC event, which Paramount Plus broadcasted.
The Justice Department recently greenlit Paramount's bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, a move that could complicate Penn's project. A Trump-friendly Paramount may be reluctant to greenlight a film widely expected to be critical of the 45th president.
Penn is producing with John Ira Palmer and John Wildermuth. If the merger clears, production could begin mid-2027, though Cooper is committed to a new Ocean's film, creating scheduling constraints.
Penn attended the House of Representatives' public hearing on the insurrection, where officers who defended the Capitol testified. The real-life cop who inspired the script remains unidentified.
