Sean Penn’s Next Directing Film Project Takes on the Story of a January 6 Cop, With Bradley Cooper Eyeing the Lead

Sean Penn is lining up what could be one of the most talked-about films of his directing career, and it’s shaping up to be an interesting collaboration with Bradley Cooper.

Fresh off the success of One Battle After Another, Penn has set his sights on a new feature that will explore the life of a police officer whose journey ultimately intersects with the events of January 6, 2021.

The filmmaker has already written the screenplay and plans to direct, while Cooper is currently in talks to take on the lead role. No deal has been finalized yet, though.

The untitled project will reunite Penn with Warner Bros., the same studio behind One Battle After Another. The studio has acquired the film through a negative pickup deal, with Penn producing alongside John Ira Palmer and John Wildermuth under the Projected Picture Works banner.

While the subject matter immediately evokes the Capitol attack, sources say this isn’t simply a movie centered on January 6. Instead, the story reportedly focuses on the early life and personal journey of a real-life law enforcement officer whose experiences eventually led him to become a figure many Americans view as a hero.

What makes the project especially intriguing is that it has been described as an unexpected story about friendship. The film is based on a real officer who was caught up in the Capitol attack, and the individual is said to support the production. For now, however, their identity remains a closely guarded secret.

Production is currently being targeted for mid-2027, largely due to Cooper’s schedule, which includes commitments to the next Ocean’s film.

Given Penn’s long-standing interest in politics and current events, it makes sense that he’d take this project on. The filmmaker attended a public hearing held by the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack in 2022.

Speaking about his presence at the hearing, Penn explained that he was there as “just another citizen” who wanted to see whether justice would be served.

During that appearance, Penn was seated alongside several officers who defended the Capitol and was reportedly seen speaking with former Washington D.C. police officer Michael Fanone, who suffered injuries during the attack.

That connection has naturally sparked speculation that Fanone could be the inspiration behind the film. Sources aren't confirming whether that’s the case, but the similarities are certainly interesting.

Cooper bears a noticeable resemblance to Fanone, and the officer’s personal story offers plenty of dramatic material.

Fanone served in law enforcement from 2001 until retiring in 2021. After initially supporting Donald Trump, he eventually became one of the former president’s most outspoken critics.

A father of four daughters, Fanone has also endured years of threats from political extremists. His memoir, Hold The Line, chronicled not only the events surrounding January 6 but also several surprising friendships that shaped his life, including a friendship with a Black transgender sex worker named Leslie and an unlikely bond with legendary folk singer Joan Baez, who painted a portrait of him defending the Capitol.

Whether Fanone is the film’s central figure or not, the territory feels tailor-made for both Penn and Cooper.

Cooper has previously explored complex American figures in projects such as American Sniper, while Penn has built a strong reputation for character-driven storytelling with films like Into The Wild and The Pledge.

There’s also a fun bit of Hollywood history connecting the two stars. Both appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, but their relationship goes back much further.

Fans may remember a now-famous 1994 episode of Inside The Actor’s Studio where a 24-year-old Cooper, then an acting student, asked Penn a question from the audience. Years later, Penn became one of Cooper’s champions, even writing a glowing Deadline op-ed praising A Star Is Born and calling it “a triumph”.

With Penn tackling a timely true story and Cooper potentially stepping into the lead role, this is already shaping up to be one of the more intriguing projects on Warner Bros.’ development slate.

Source: Deadline