Daily Wire's ‘Confession’ adds James Franco and Oscar nominees to cast as Ben Shapiro pens script
The Daily Wire has released a teaser for its upcoming film, ‘Confession,’ written by podcast host Ben Shapiro. The movie stars James Franco alongside acclaimed actors, including Rob Lowe, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Nick Nolte, and Brad Dourif. The storyline follows a former professor imprisoned in Moscow in 1938, and he must “betray his priest” to save himself. The highly anticipated film will premiere at the Warsaw Film Festival on Thursday, October 15, 2026, ahead of its one-night theatrical release in 100 US theaters. It will also stream on the Daily Wire’s subscription platform.
The logline for ‘Confession’ reads, “In Stalin’s 1938 Moscow, a disillusioned former literature professor, Alexei (Lowe), is arrested and brought to the infamous Lubyanka Prison, charged with conspiring with his dissident priest. There, Alexei faces interrogation by his brilliant and brutal former student, Vladimir (Franco).” It continues, “Forced to the ultimate test of betrayal or conscience, and confronted with his past sins, Alexei finds redemption through truth, sacrificing himself to save others in a haunting tale of morality and resistance.” The teaser opens with Alexei in the Lubyanka Prison. There, he is interrogated by his former student, Vladimir, who will go to great lengths to get him to confess. "You will remember your duty," he tells the former professor in one scene.
Shot entirely on 35mm film, ‘Confession’ was produced at Santa Clarita Studios in Los Angeles. In an exclusive interview with Deadline, the Czech director Vaclav Marhoul shared his thoughts on the film. “From a director’s perspective, this film was a truly great challenge for me. I ventured into a genre I hadn’t explored before: an intimate, dialogue-driven psychological drama set in a single location.” Along with cinematographer Peter Menzies, he sought “the most sensitive approach” to the direction and visual style to complement the story and its characters.
