James Franco to Star in Ben Shapiro's New Movie as Daily Wire Faces Danny Trejo Backlash

James Franco is the latest Hollywood star to join Ben Shapiro's growing movie operation, and the timing couldn't be more interesting.

The Oscar-nominated actor is in the cast of Confession, a new Daily Wire thriller Shapiro wrote. The announcement comes as the conservative media company faces mounting criticism over another production, Pawn Shop, with Danny Trejo's family claiming the actor was blindsided by Shapiro's involvement and is now contractually stuck in the controversial film.

According to Forbes, Confession features Franco alongside Rob Lowe, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Nick Nolte and Brad Dourif. Five cast members have received Academy Award nominations, making it one of Daily Wire's most recognizable ensembles yet.

Directed by Václav Marhoul, whose 2019 Holocaust drama The Painted Bird sparked walkouts at the Toronto International Film Festival, Confession takes place in Moscow in 1938. The story follows an imprisoned former professor who faces an impossible choice: betray his priest or risk his own life.

The movie is scheduled to premiere at the Warsaw Film Festival on Thursday, October 15, followed by a one-night theatrical release in 100 U.S. theaters on Nov. 11. It will also debut on Daily Wire's subscription platform that day.

Franco's involvement brings another complicated Hollywood history into the company's expanding film slate.

The 127 Hours star faced allegations of sexual misconduct and exploitation from multiple women, including former students at his acting school, Studio 4. In 2019, two former students filed a lawsuit accusing Franco and his associates of exploiting aspiring actresses through sexually explicit scenes presented as professional opportunities.

Franco initially disputed allegations against him. In 2021, he agreed to a $2.235 million settlement of the class-action lawsuit without admitting liability. Later that year, he acknowledged having sexual relationships with students at his acting school, admitting that those relationships were wrong because of the power imbalance.

His casting follows Daily Wire's September release of Run Hide Fight: Infidels, which starred Jonathan Majors following his 2023 misdemeanor assault and harassment convictions involving former girlfriend Grace Jabbari.

That production also faced an IATSE labor picket and an accident in which Majors and co-star JC Kilcoyne fell through an unsecured window, leaving Kilcoyne requiring stitches.

Meanwhile, Daily Wire has faced another controversy involving Trejo, who has publicly denied supporting ICE despite appearing in Pawn Shop, a thriller about an immigration officer pursued during unrest in Minneapolis.

"I am a proud Mexican who has always been and will always be a supporter of my community," Trejo said. "I am also obviously pro-immigrant. I am not pro-ICE."

His son Gilbert subsequently claimed the 82-year-old actor didn't know Shapiro was involved until two weeks into filming.

"My dad contractually can't bad mouth him, the film, or walk away without being sued for breach of contract," Gilbert wrote on social media, describing his father as "handcuffed to this stupid project."

Those contractual claims haven't been independently verified. But there's another detail complicating Gilbert's account: Trejo previously voiced Switchblade in Mr. Birchum, the Adam Carolla animated comedy released by Daily Wire in 2024. The company publicly identified Trejo as a cast member well before its premiere.

Pawn Shop also faced protests in Livingston, Montana, where officials temporarily suspended filming over complaints involving dangerous stunts, armed security, and disruptions to the local food bank.

Production resumed after the city imposed additional permit conditions.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, confidential support is available 24/7 through RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline. Call 800-656-HOPE (4673), text HOPE to 64673, or visit RAINN.org/hotline.