Netflix to Make ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Free on YouTube for 48 Hours (Video)
Netflix hopes the whole world will watch “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” as the streamer is taking the rare step of putting the movie on YouTube for free.
Aaron Sorkin’s film will be live on Netflix’s YouTube channel for 48 hours beginning at 12 a.m. PT on Friday, Feb. 19. With this year marking the 51st anniversary of the trial verdict, it’s a great way to catch up with a poignant film that’s quickly becoming an awards season frontrunner — even if you don’t have a Netflix subscription.
“Since my initial introduction fourteen years ago, my relationship to the story of ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ has changed significantly,” Sorkin said in a statement. “When we began shooting last winter, we knew the story we were telling was not only an important chapter of American history, but was plenty relevant to current events. We certainly didn’t need it to get more relevant, but it did.”
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He continued: “To commemorate the anniversary of the verdict in this historic trial, we’ve made the film available on YouTube for 48 hours starting Friday, Feb. 19 at 12:00 a.m. PT, remembering the real patriots who inspired a generation — actually, generations — to take to the streets and uphold the foundations of our U.S. Constitution, along with the courageous voices that continue to do so today. It’s our honor to share their story with the world.”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” debuted on Netflix in October and has since been nominated for five Golden Globes. It’s the true story of the seven people on trial (eight including Bobby Seale) for protesting the Vietnam War at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The film depicts both the courtroom drama and circus surrounding the trial, as well as the protests in which people were beaten by Chicago police for expressing their constitutional rights.
The film stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong, John Carroll Lynch, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Rylance, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Frank Langella and Michael Keaton. In the video above, you can hear the cast, along with writer and director Sorkin, discuss the film and the legacy of the trial. You can also read more about “The Trial of the Chicago 7” in a Netflix blog here.
