Bradley Cooper is in talks to star in Sean Penn’s next directorial effort, a film that chronicles the early life of a police officer who defended the U.S. capital on Jan. 6. Warner Bros. is in talks to acquire the film as a negative pickup, which would mark Penn’s first narrative directorial effort since 2021’s “Flag Day.”
Described as an unexpected story about friendship, the film is decidedly not a Jan. 6 movie, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap. But it does cover the life of a police officer who was there, and whose identity is being kept under wraps for now. And, however tangentially, it marks the first major feature film tied to the Jan. 6 riots to be made at a Hollywood studio.
Penn wrote and will direct and produce the movie, but filming won’t begin until mid-2027 due to Cooper’s schedule. The “A Star Is Born” filmmaker is next set to write, direct and star in an “Ocean’s Eleven” prequel alongside Margot Robbie, also for Warner Bros. That’s due to roll cameras later this year.
Cooper most recently directed the Searchlight dramedy “Is This Thing On?” starring Will Arnett.
Penn, of course, is coming off winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” also a Warner Bros. film.
Penn will produce this new film with John Ira Palmer and John Wildermuth under their Projected Picture Works banner.
CAA Media Finance is handling the deal on behalf of the producers.
Penn and Projected Picture Works are represented by CAA; Cooper is represented by Range Media Partners.
Deadline first reported the news.
