Netflix Making 'The Trial of Chicago 7' Free to Watch on YouTube for 48 Hours to Commemorate Verdict Anniversary

Netflix is making The Trial of Chicago 7 free to watch on YouTube for 48 Hours, to commemorate the [...]

By Stephen Andrew

Netflix is making The Trial of Chicago 7 free to watch on YouTube for 48 Hours, to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the iconic verdict. Starting on Friday, Feb. 19, at 12 am PT, the movie — nominated for five Golden Globes — will be available for anyone to stream on Netflix's YouTube channel. Once it goes live, the film will be up for 48 hours. After that, only Netflix subscribers will be able to watch it again.

The Trial of Chicago 7 was initially released on Netflix in October and tells the true story of a group of anti-Vietnam War activists who were charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intention of inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The film not only depicts the highly publicized trial, but also the frenzy surrounding it, including the ensuing Chicago protests that led to demonstrators being beaten by police for expressing their constitutional rights. A number of prolific actors appear in the film, including Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, and Jeremy Strong.

Aaron Sorkin, the writer and director of The Trial of the Chicago 7, issued a statement on the YouTube streaming news, saying, "Since my initial introduction fourteen years ago, my relationship to the story of The Trial of the Chicago 7 has changed significantly. 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."

Sorkin 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."

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