The Daily Wire’s film division is expanding its reach with a new movie, Confession, featuring a star-studded cast, including James Franco, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte, Brad Dourif, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The ensemble cast also includes Rob Lowe, Emile Hirsch, and Dean Norris. The movie, written by Ben Shapiro and directed by Václav Marhoul, is a Soviet-era thriller set in Moscow during Joseph Stalin’s rule.
The film follows a former professor imprisoned on suspicions of conspiring with a dissident priest as he navigates the interrogation process. This is the latest step in The Daily Wire’s efforts to grow its filmmaking operation by signing on performers whose careers and public reputations have faced varying degrees of controversy.
Controversy Surrounding the Cast
James Franco largely fell out of favor after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct in 2018. Three years later, he settled a lawsuit brought by his former acting students who accused him of sexual exploitation. After initially denying their claims, Franco admitted to having sexual relationships with his students.
Jennifer Jason Leigh has been an outspoken supporter of Israel in the aftermath of the October 7th attack by Hamas in 2023. Reflecting a position that broadly overlaps with Shapiro’s, she signed an open letter condemning The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer for his Oscars speech criticizing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory and its ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Working with The Daily Wire
Working with The Daily Wire carries political implications that extend far beyond any one film’s subject matter. That tension became particularly visible when Danny Trejo was revealed as a cast member on another one of the company’s productions, Pawn Shop. The thriller follows an ICE officer seeking refuge after his partner is seriously injured during a confrontation, with its reported storyline having drawn comparisons to the fatal shooting of Renée Good in Minneapolis earlier this year.
Trejo’s participation has drawn criticism from fans since he is a well-known supporter of immigrant communities. He subsequently clarified his position and told TMZ, “I am a proud Mexican who has always been and will always be a supporter of my community. I am also obviously pro immigrant. I am not pro ice.” Trejo’s son later took to social media and claimed his father had never heard of Shapiro before signing on and that the cast learned of the conservative pundit’s involvement only after filming was underway.
Previous Controversies
Prior to that, The Daily Wire’s film branch provided recourse for Jonathan Majors. Following his 2023 conviction for assault and harassment, the former Hollywood darling starred in Run Hide Fight: Infidels. Ripe with overtly Islamophobic topes, the 2026 action thriller is built around religious extremists seizing control of a college campus by infiltrating a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
Confession will receive a limited theatrical release on November 11th and become available to stream on The Daily Wire that same day. The movie’s release is expected to generate significant attention and controversy, given the cast’s and crew’s involvement with The Daily Wire and the film’s subject matter. As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how The Daily Wire’s film division navigates the complex landscape of politics and entertainment.
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