Has Spielberg summoned Smith, Spacey & Hoffman for his TRIAL?

By Matt Holmes / June 25, 2011

Are Will Smith, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Kevin Spacey about to join the probably already cast Sacha Baron Cohen in Steven Spielberg's post-INDY movie THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, a film which could begin shooting as early as March? That's what Vanity Fair would have us believe anyway. These are the names that they allegedly saw on the desk of Spielberg in relationship to actors the legendary director is interested in for his historical drama...

Will Smith

Taye Diggs

Adam Arkin

Kevin Spacey

and heavily rumored elsewhere... Sacha Baron Cohen (who the British press claim has accepted a $6 million offer to play Abbie Hoffman as we spoke about here) Phillip Seymour Hoffman (as William Kunstler)

Kunstler (pictured above in his later days) was an American civil rights activist and a self proclaimed 'radical lawyer' who defended the CHICAGO 7 against charges of conspiring to incite riots in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Hoffman would seem ideal for this role, instantly commanding that authorative lawyer feel and a CV full of amazing work, three of which he gave us this year alone with THE SAVAGES, BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOUR'E DEAD and CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR. If Spielberg could secure Will Smith and Kevin Spacey (I believe Riggs and Arkin are competing for the same parts as those two respectively) along with Hoffman and Cohen, then this would be one of the most diverse and interesting casts a film of his has seen in a long time. I really hope this is Spielberg's next movie and furthering the direction he took with his most awesome flick in years with MUNICH. I can't help but feel sorry for Liam Neeson though and his long awaited stint as LINCOLN biopic. Maybe Spielberg should let someone else give that a go rather than continuing to mess him about? source - coming soon