Conservative media company The Daily Wire has quietly produced a star-studded Cold War psychological drama titled Confession, written by Ben Shapiro and directed by Czech filmmaker Vaclav Marhoul. The film features Rob Lowe as an imprisoned literature professor and James Franco as his interrogator inside Moscow’s Lubyanka Prison in 1938.
The screenplay places its focus entirely on a single interrogation room. The narrative is set against the backdrop of Stalinist Moscow, where a disgraced literature professor faces off against a former student turned brutal interrogator. The project brings together an unexpected ensemble cast featuring recognizable Hollywood names, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Emile Hirsch, Brad Dourif, Dean Norris, and Richard Brake.
CONFESSION | Official Trailer pic.twitter.com/4QoDNgsKuR
Rob Lowe and James Franco Face Off in Moscow Prison Drama
Alexei, a disillusioned former literature professor portrayed by Rob Lowe, is arrested and detained at the infamous Lubyanka Prison on charges of conspiring with a dissident priest. Inside the facility, Alexei discovers that his primary interrogator is Vladimir, a brilliant and brutal former student played by James Franco.
Promotional trailers released for the film showcase the claustrophobic tension of the set, highlighting verbal confrontations between the two lead actors.
“Professor,” says Vladimir with a smirk. The trailer shows the extent to which he can go to make Alexei confess.
Yahoo, reporting on the Confession trailer
Behind the camera, the production utilized veteran Hollywood cinematographer Peter Menzies Jr., production designer Vincent Reynaud, and Oscar-winning makeup and prosthetics artist Jeff Dawn.
Warsaw Film Festival Sets World Premiere for Confession
The project is scheduled to hold its world premiere at the Warsaw Film Festival on October 15, 2026. The movie managed to stay largely out of public view during production, appearing without prior press releases or sales agent announcements on the official website of the festival.
The new Ben Shapiro movie starring Rob Lowe and Nick Nolte has an incredible James Franco reveal. https://t.co/9DCdSW6mpE
Following its festival debut, the distribution plan involves a simultaneous rollout across multiple formats. The film will open in 100 select theaters across the United States for a special screening event on November 11, 2026, dropping on The Daily Wire streaming service the exact same day.
Director Vaclav Marhoul Directs Dialogue-Driven Psychological Drama
Director Vaclav Marhoul previously directed the 2019 black-and-white Holocaust drama The Painted Bird, which screened in competition at Venice. In statements regarding the new project, Marhoul described the transition into a streamlined dramatic setting.
“From a director’s perspective, this film was a truly great challenge for me,” Marhoul commented. “I ventured into a genre I hadn’t explored before: an intimate, dialogue-driven psychological drama set in a single location. Together with cinematographer Peter Menzies, I sought the most sensitive approach to directing and visual style—one that matched the story and characters. A wonderful crew and cast helped me meet that challenge.”
Vaclav Marhoul, Director, via Deadline
“This is an incredible story of the human spirit and its survival against those who would crush it,” said Lowe today.
Rob Lowe, Actor, via Deadline
Shapiro noted that it was an honor to work with a cast featuring Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominees on a project deeply rooted in themes of faith, morality, and human freedom.