Oscar winner Mark Rylance and four-time Tony winner Frank Langella have joined the already-awesome cast for true crime biopic The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jonathan Majors (When We Rise), and Alex Sharp (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) are already on board for the long-planned movie, which tells the story of the notorious "Chicago 7."

These seven defendants stood trial in September 1969 after being charged with conspiracy, inciting to riot, and other charges relating to anti-Vietnam War and countercultural protests that took place in Chicago during 1968's Democratic National Convention.

Rylance will play William Kuntsler, the lawyer who defended them, while Langella will portray Julius Hoffman, the judge who presided over their high-profile trial. Redmayne has been cast as Tom Hayden, the anti-war and civil rights activist who was one of the "Chicago 7" and later married Jane Fonda.

Aaron Sorkin will direct from his own screenplay – one that, according to Deadline, "has long been considered one of the best unmade screenplays" in Hollywood. Shooting is due to start in October and other actors, reportedly including Michael Keaton, are expected to join the cast in due course.

Before then, Rylance will return to the screen in Waiting for the Barbarians, an adaptation of J.M Coetzee's award-winning novel which co-stars Robert Pattinson and Johnny Depp. It's due to premiere next Friday (September 6) at the Venice Film Festival.

Are you excited about The Trial of the Chicago 7?